Pacifist by Nature
by Lily Trindylle
Summary: Something Inuyasha happened...again. Where has the well deposited Sano and Megumi? What happened to Kaoru? And the plot thickens....
1. Wishing Well

**AN:**  I, the author of one crossover fic between Trigun and Rurouni Kenshin, have taken the liberties not to exceed my role and duties as series fan and fanfic writer to draw parallels between two of the main characters of said anime works, Vash the Stampede and Himura Kenshin.  I came up with this idea on my own with no help or guidance from any others less than twenty-four hours ago; if other ideas of similar or identical nature exist, kudos to you.  I love the idea, and I'll probably get around to reading what you wrote.  You'll increase the likelihood by emailing me alerting me to similarities.  All this said, I'll do what's in my rather limited power to create a pleasing piece of eye candy, and all I ask for in return is a simple read and review.  Any and all flames will be used for a post-production barbecue; invitations may or may not follow the fic.

This fic is dedicated to Kevin and Clara.  Kevin, thanks for putting up with me for four years and three months (happy early anniversary).  Thank you for guessing.  Clara, I know these are series you're not familiar with, but I wanted to give something to you in return for the happiness you've given me with _School Daze_.  Writer's block begone!

Thank you all for your time and consideration.  It's much appreciated.  I'll keep you posted.  Pun intended.

Trin

**UPDATE:**  As of February 5, 2003, I will be removing all author's notes for all chapters following this one (chapters 2 and up) in order to reduce the clutter and increase visibility, clarity, and ease of reading.  For those of you who still wish to view them, please visit _Pacifist's_ brand new website, located at .  Please continue to be kind!  Also, please review!  Don't read and run.

**Disclaimers:**  I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Trigun, nor do I own Himura Kenshin, Vash the Stampede, or Kamiya Kaoru.  All I own is the authorglue used to bind these series together in my first crossover fic.  This fic is nonprofit, shared solely for the purpose of enjoyment.  I get nothing out of posting this except happiness to share with my reviewers and other fans.

_Wishing Well_

Himura Kenshin sighs, tugging at the heavy rope tied tightly to the water-laden bucket.  The sun had relinquished its position in the sky hours ago; rightfully, he should be in bed by now, dreaming of the unattainable, screaming for peace from crimson-dripping nightmares.  On second thought, considering the latter, perhaps it's not so bad his beloved Kaoru-dono asked for tea so late.  Not that he'd deny her any request, even at such a late hour.  Such simple things, he thinks, speak volumes in his unblossoming relationship with the equally shy young woman.

The redheaded rurouni sighs again, looking down into the mirror like, inky black depths of the water skulking deep below.  _If only I was worthy,_ he laments, baleful violet eyes staring, dazed, into the water, unaware he'd stopped his progress with the bucket in his musings.  _If only I had the right to make such pureness mine._

Unbeknownst to him, surreal forces are at work towards just that end in the twilight hours deep below the well.

"Kenshin?"  Kamiya Kaoru's sweet voice lilts on gilded wings towards him, echoing off the compound's walls.  She'd approached the doorway in silent, tabi-covered feet when he hadn't returned several minutes after the well's sounds had stopped.  She'd never forgive herself if he'd been coincidentally in the right place at the right time for the next in line in his ceaseless entourage of opponents.  If the matter needing to be discussed hadn't grown to such feverish, urgent pitch, she'd never have approached his room so late at night, never asked him to join her for tea.  However, the situation holds such merit, and now's the best time to make her attempt, as the rest of the world ought to be asleep now.

Yanked from reverie, Kenshin lifts his head, turning immediately towards the sound of Kaoru's voice; his grip on the bucket loosens at the sight before him.  "K-Kaoru-dono, is something wrong?"  Kenshin stutters, the rope sliding painfully through his fingers, embedding small elements of twisted twine into throbbing, reddening palms.  However, nothing can draw him from the vision of candlelit beauty before him, sapphires creased in worry.

Nothing indeed.

The rope jerks as the bucket hits the water with an otherworldly splash, the sudden force wrenching through Kenshin's hands.  Cursing beneath his breath, Kenshin grips the rope painfully tightly so as not to lose the bucket and finds himself being drawn into the wishing well.

If only.


	2. Curiouser and Curiouser

**Disclaimers:  **I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Trigun, nor do I own Himura Kenshin, Kamiya Kaoru, Myojin Yahiko, Takani Megumi, Sagara Sanosuke, Alice in Wonderland (or any of its characters and concepts), The Wizard of Oz (or any of its characters and concepts), Meryl Strife, Vash the Stampede, Takeda Kanryuu, Millie Thompson, the sakabatou, or Bernardelli Insurance Company.  All I own is the authorglue used to bind these series together in my first crossover fic.  This fic is nonprofit, shared solely for the purpose of enjoyment.  I get nothing out of posting this except happiness to share with my reviewers and other fans.**__**

Curiouser and Curiouser 

The movement is so dauntingly fast Kenshin hasn't the time to shout before being sucked into the maelstrom of twilight whimsy.  Kaoru, on the other hand, isn't so paralyzed.  Her screams echo throughout the Kamiya complex, waking Myojin Yahiko -- along with half of the block.  Stumbling in utter horror towards the well, she peers inside in shock.  _I've lost him._

Yahiko comes trudging to the well, rubbing his eyes tiredly.  "Hey, busu, 'the hell you screaming about in the middle of the night?"  He stands to her side, following her gaze inside the well, noting her silence with no small measure of discomfort.  Where's Kenshin, anyways?  He is always the first to Kaoru's side, and not without reason.  "What're you looking at anyways?  This had better not be some dumb way to get me to do something."

Yahiko pinches off his words, watching as a tear slowly rolls down Kaoru's cheek, dripping into the endless inky depths of the well.  _I asked Kenshin to do something, actually.  And…_  "He's gone.  Kenshin….  It… it sucked him in."

The well?  Oh please.  "Yeah right, busu.  You can't expect me to believe that.  Didja eat some bad tofu or something?  Maybe I'd better go get Megumi-san…."  Cleaning her vomit isn't appealing.  Neither is doing all her chores himself.  He turns on his heel to head towards the front gate, but Kaoru's fist stops him.  Well, at least she snapped out of it.  That's a plus, isn't it?

"Then where's the water, huh Yahiko?  Everything's…gone."  Her voice slips off into introspective quiet.  "I lost him."  The air all but cracks in a solid boom of finality with her words; her throat constricts tightly, and she's unable to say another word.

Yahiko leans back over the edge of the well, peering inside as if the well holds all the answers.  His eyes widen.  "It's true…usually you can see the water's surface by the bucket floating there, but I can't see it anywhere."  Wait.  He turns towards Kaoru, glowering.  "You sure this isn't some dumb prank you and Kenshin cooked up?  Ha ha."  Last thing he needs is to have Kenshin come roaring out of the well's shadows, grabbing him up and throwing him down into the cold waters below.  He's _not_ going to play along with that.

His mouth earns him another mini-beating, breaking Kaoru of the static pain of her evident loss.  "I'm serious, Yahiko!  Kenshin's gone!  Go look for him.  I'd asked him to fetch some water, and when he didn't come back, I saw…."  Cue the tears, dripping unheeded from sparkling sapphires.  "The well sucked Kenshin in, and I couldn't do anything."  Helpless.

Her heartbreak is visible; Yahiko feels suddenly ill at ease, pushing his toe around in the dirt.  Much as he's loath to admit it, he hates to see Kaoru like this.  And Kenshin – something must be done.  "I'm gonna go find Sano and Megumi.  Stay here…and don't go near the well.  If it really got Kenshin, it'll get you too, and I'm not going in after your ugly butt!"  Such sentimentalism is rare in a young boy.

The well is indeed deep and quite dark inside.  From somewhere above Kenshin, the voices of his worried family come swarming down around him, bodiless, groundless marks of the unearthly peril surrounding him.  He reaches upwards, trying to grab a hold of the rope, the bucket, the sidewall, anything, but only the gut-wrenching sound of Kaoru's tears greet his palms.  "Oro?  Kaoru-dono!"  And that's about all the well will get as far as screams go.  Confused, Kenshin looks around.  _I seem to be floating…I'm not falling, and I can still breathe, so I'm not swimming.  Where am I?_

Curiouser and curiouser.  But Alice, this is only the beginning.

Suddenly, the well bottoms out into a rather wide expanse of dry, dusty sand.  Kenshin meets with immediately suffocating, dry heat pounding into his lungs.  It doesn't smell like Tokyo, and it certainly isn't the Kamiya dojo.  Kenshin floats to a graceful crouch between an outcropping of sand dunes, his hands embedding themselves in generous quantities of the coarse grit.  Ground, wonderful ground!  If he didn't know better, he'd kiss it.

Gunshots ringing through the steamy, warped air give him little time to reminisce on the thought, however.  His muscles tensing, Kenshin drops to a defensive crouch, his hand reaching for the comforting grip of the sakabatou.  Turning about, searching for the source of the sounds, his brilliant red hair whips about the nape of his neck, making the tiny hairs stand on end.  Caught in crossfire in the middle of an unknown desert.  Just what he needed.

Toto, we're not having fun anymore.

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Suddenly, an immensely tall figure comes running up a far sand dune, his lips flapping in the breeze.  "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!  Ok, ok, Meryl!  I give!  Stop shooting at me, will ya?"  The tall gaijin doesn't even see the small swordsman, nor does he note the shrill singing of the blade as Kenshin draws his trusty sakabatou, dropping back into an attack stance.  Surely this idiot isn't the cause of the gunfire!

Vash never had a chance.  He hits the ground like a ton of red longcoated bricks, a purplish welt rising on his forehead.  So much for the threat.

A young woman, nearly the same height as Kaoru, stalks over the crest of the dune towards her fallen target, fuming.  _Did he walk in on her bath, too? _ Kenshin thinks, incredulous violet eyes widening in disbelief.  Another woman with a rather large gun resembling Takeda Kanryuu's gattling gun follows the smaller woman.

"Mister Vash?  Meryl, did you shoot him?"

The short woman turns back to her incredulous partner.  "No, I wasn't aiming for his head."  She kneels down beside the fallen man, touching gentle fingertips to the angry welt covering his forehead.  "This looks nasty.  I hope he wakes up soon, because there's no way we can carry him!"  Surprisingly, a look of concern flashes in Meryl's eyes as she looks up – then freezes.  "M-Millie?  Who's that?"  The taller girl turns, gasping.  "Oh, my!  I don't know, Meryl!  I've never seen anyone like him."

Kenshin must've made quite the sight, crouched in defense, sakabatou still drawn, held at the ready.  Amber clouds his otherwise violet vision; he's not convinced that these people aren't a threat to him.  Lifting the sakabatou in their direction, his voice booms, carrying ominous tones on the wind.  "You will lower your weapons, de gozaru yo."

Meryl laughs nervously, dropping the derringers she'd been clutching as a safety in white-knuckled fists.  "Millie, we'd better do what he says."  Her voice trembles slightly in singsong variety, glancing sidelong at her partner, who drops the stun gun, smiling at the swordsman, raising her empty hands in silent surrender.

"Who are you?" Kenshin demands, not backing down.

"Eh heh, I'm Meryl Strife of the Bernardelli Insurance Society.  My partner here is Millie Thompson, and that man," pointing to the coming-to Vash, "is none other than Vash the Stampede."


	3. Memories

**Disclaimers**:  I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Trigun, nor do I own Meryl Strife, Bernardelli Insurance Company, Millie Thompson, Vash the Stampede, Himura Kenshin, Kamiya Kaoru, Rem Savrem, Millions Knives, or sand steamers.  I did, however, make up Artesia as a fictional city on Gunsmoke (a planet on Trigun – I don't own that concept) for this chapter's purposes.  All I own is the authorglue used to bind these series together in my first crossover fic.  This fic is nonprofit, shared solely for the purpose of enjoyment.  I get nothing out of posting this except happiness to share with my reviewers and other fans.

Memories 

"Eh heh, I'm Meryl Strife of the Bernardelli Insurance Society.  My partner here is Millie Thompson, and that man," pointing to the coming-to Vash, "is none other than Vash the Stampede."

Blank confusion momentarily washes over Kenshin's nigh feminine face.  Amber battles violet in the swordsman's eyes, his blade steady, daring them to defy him.  This crude idiot, a stampede.  It suits him.  Yet in no way does he show recognition of the rather infamous name; he doesn't even blink.  _Who is this guy?_ Meryl wonders, bending back down to a groaning Vash.  _What world's he from, anyways?_

"Did somebody get the plates on that sand steamer that hit me?" Vash asks, lifting off the ground slightly, his half-lidded, glazed green eyes a vortex of color.  He sways, then falls back to the ground.  That must've been some hit.  Meryl, driven from her almost prophetic visions, helps ease Vash to lie down, then turns back to the swordsman.

"May I ask who you are?"

At the sound of her voice, Kenshin falters, trying desperately to hide the weakness from surfacing.  _Kaoru-dono_.  His gut twists, nearly forcing him to double over.  He must be hallucinating; the heat must be getting to him.  "Kenshin.  My name is Himura Kenshin."  He glances about, the heat rising in judgment-warping steam.  Nothing but this strange dirt as far as the eye can see.  No way for him to judge how far the odd occurrence at the well had taken him from Tokyo.  "Where am I?"

Millie looks up, smiling with the warm charm reserved for the blithely innocent.  "We're just under an ile from Artesia.  It's about an hour's walk from here."  Vash had run really fast….

Ile?  Artesia?  That tells him nothing other than he's more lost than he thought.  He's not even in Japan anymore.  Sighing, he sheathes his sword, cautiously approaching the two women.  If he's going to get back to Tokyo, he's going to need some help.  These women seem harmless enough, despite their weapons, though he prefers to remain on guard.  Meryl tears a strip from the hem of her clothing, wetting it sparingly from her canteen.  With care, she rests the resulting compress on Vash's forehead.  Kenshin's eyes, jarred by the sound of cloth tearing, snap to the scene before him.  Such a light touch…such a calm, capable demeanor.  Her soft, strong voice, and the hope that shines so clearly in her brilliant blue eyes.  Such sacrifices she makes to care for the injured man she'd been chasing with a gun not long ago.  His heart constricts, longing for home, for his small adopted family.  Longing for Kaoru.  He sighs, looking down, red bangs camouflaging his continued watch.  He hasn't been gone fifteen minutes, and he already misses Kaoru like mad.  He shakes his head, the movement drawing both girls' attention, a three-way stalemate ensuing.  In his sorrow, he reasons, everything must remind him of his Kaoru-dono.

"Gomen.  I'm sorry about your friend," Kenshin started, breaking the silence.  He looks down at the angry welt decorating the broom-head's forehead.  He'll be in and out of consciousness for a few more hours if he remains in this heat.  "We should get him to a doctor, get him in the shade."

Meryl nods, looking up.  "Yes, but sir, how are we going to carry him?"

Good point.  Vash is bigger than all of them, and they had traveled by foot.  Meryl was too damn mad to think about transportation at the time, and Millie had just followed her partner dutifully.

"Meryl, we could take his legs," at this, Meryl blushes; Millie continues, unnoticing, "and Mr. Swordsman could get his arms.  We could carry him like a stretcher," Millie declares triumphantly, glancing at Kenshin.  Well, it's as good an idea as any; he nods, thinking that's probably the only way Vash is going to get to a doctor right now.

After a twenty-minute struggle lifting the monstrous beast, the unlikely trio manages to prop him just so and start walking towards the hazy horizon.  Between the three of them, broom-head's not so heavy.  Vash, drifting in and out of wakefulness, moans, locked inside a nightmarish memory.  "Rem…don't leave me, Rem."  Speak of the devil.  Kenshin lifts a brow, wondering if this is some past lover.  Glancing at the girls gives him no clues; they don't seem to know much either.  Vash begins to toss in nightmarish sleep, nearly throwing Kenshin off balance.  "No…no."  Suddenly, his tone changes, hollowing.  Accusing.  "Murderer!  Your whole life is a lie!"  Kenshin stiffens, stopping.  The girls falter, scrambling to keep from unceremoniously dumping Vash on the ground, turning back to look at him.  Why's he stopping?  If anything, these nightmares should make him want to hasten his steps, get Vash to the doctor as quick as possible!  Something's obviously not right in their charge's head.

They stare, only to find the odd man struggling, fighting an internal battle.  What does Vash know?  How could he know?  Violets widen, then narrow in a dangerous amber metamorphosis.  If he intended on starting something in front of these women….  What a coward.

"…You aren't even human!"

The final straw.  Eyes narrowing in barely controlled rage, Kenshin hauls Vash off his shoulders to the ground, letting him fall with a harsh thud.  Vash groans, rudely wakened from the nightmare, holding his head.  "Rem…" he whispers, his face contorted in sadness.  So blinded by anger, Kenshin takes this in stride, his hands balling into fists, vaguely aware of a crimson trickle dripping from each hand.

"Mr. Vash?  Are you all right?"  Millie ventures, her voice trembling, anticipating a confrontation, her eyes on Kenshin.  She doesn't dare ask the swordsman, lest he take his troubles out on her.  He doesn't exactly seem stable.

Millie?  Vash looks up, rubbing his eyes painfully, and takes in his new surroundings.  "Millie?  Meryl?"  And a short man with a sword that he's never seen before…who's apparently rather unhappy with him, noted as Kenshin draws his sword, growling.  "Hey, friend, what's going on?"  Vash lifts his hands, his voice rising to a slightly nervous pitch, leaning away from the sword's confrontational tip.  What's this guy got against him, anyways?  He's sure he's never met him before.

Kenshin concentrates for a moment on slow, steady breathing, somewhat appeased with his weapon pointed at his accuser.  "Tell me why."

"Why?" he repeats, eyes widening.  "I don't understand." Vash blinks, looking up at the girls.

Meryl clears her throat.  She'll have to resolve this, at least until Vash gets medical attention.  "Vash, you must have been talking in your sleep.  You were talking about a murderer.  Someone…inhuman."  She can't bear to look at Vash, able to see the visible fall in his demeanor, noting the sorrowful pitch in his voice.

"Knives."  He rests his head in his hands, rubbing a moment.  _That same dream….  _"Just…a memory.  I meant nothing by it."

_A memory of a murderer.  _Kenshin frowns, resheathing his blade, turning his eyes from the trio.  "Gomen."  Gruff acceptance his only reply.  _Not me._  His vision clouds; he shuts his eyes to the familiar crimson threatening to spill over, the metallic scent flooding his senses.  No time to scream.  He'd always been too quick.  He was comfortable in silence, even then.

The Bakumatsu is never far behind him.


	4. Assurance and Reassurance

**Disclaimers:**  I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Trigun, nor do I own Himura Kenshin, Vash the Stampede, Millie Thompson, Meryl Strife, Kamiya Kaoru, Myojin Yahiko, Sagara Sanosuke, Takani Megumi, the sand steamers, Bernardelli Insurance Company, Sano's futae no kiwami, or Nicholas D. Wolfwood.  All I own is the authorglue used to bind these series together in my first crossover fic.  This fic is nonprofit, shared solely for the purpose of enjoyment.  I get nothing out of posting this except happiness to share with my reviewers and other fans.

****

**_Assurance and Reassurance_**

Thickly gelled, bittersweet crimson globules drip lazily over Kenshin's eyelids in robust, suffocating, clumped masses, searing his eyelids with a grotesque metallic tang, coaxing them into sightlessness.  Gasping for air, searing pain shoots through his lungs as they expand with the vile, congealed liquid, flooding his lungs to the brim with coppery resplendence.  The reprise pumps in thick, mocking sprays, slowly suffocating him.  Muscles trembling from the brilliant pain of oxygen deprivation, he falls into a death cramp, dropping to his knees in fatigue and shock.  The coppery insurgence floods his throat, forcing him to open his mouth and expel vitae in surging volume, falling on his hands.  _Too weak._  Is this the end?

Just as he feels his last drops of life squeeze from his mortal cage, he opens his eyes in a silent start.  His body is bathed in a thick sheen of blood-coated sweat, glistening haughtily in its exposure.  _Covered in blood.  _Vash had been having a nightmare about a cold-blooded killer like himself; his mournful shouting was uncanny in its likeness to his past situation.  He'd dropped Vash and stopped walking, and then the blood had surged in relentless influx.  Shaking his head, Kenshin sighs, the blood vanishing like the simple hallucination it is.  Millie, Meryl, and Vash are staring silently, more worried than concerned.

"Kenshin?"

Kaoru's voice echoes in his mind, banishing the past.  _Kaoru-dono._  His body relaxes, released in a breath of fresh air, flesh singing, trembling in the sweet release of her.  Fireflies twinkle amidst the setting sun, burning golden sakura petals floating like feathers through the calming reverie.  With Kaoru, he can go on.  He can live in penance.  Slowly, he opens his eyes.  "Kaoru-dono…?"  He blinks, doused in cold reality, spirits sinking.  No, he's still lost in the desert.  Lost to Kaoru, his family, Tokyo.  _There must be a way back…and I must find it for Kaoru-dono, Yahiko-kun, Sano, and Megumi-dono.  I want to go home._

"Kenshin, are you all right?"  Meryl ventures again.  The redheaded swordsman shakes his head as if clearing himself of a trance, unleashing wide, blinking violet eyes upon her.  Slowly, her query registers, and he nods.  _I thought only Vash did that._  Meryl frowns, used to Vash's gloomy brooding, his intense sadness.  Millie looks from one to the other, detachedly frightened, her eyes wide, yet bathed in a warm, glowing smile.  Everything always comes out all right; there's always a way to make it through for her.

"Mister swordsman, are you all right?  You look as if you're having a bad dream, only you haven't been sleeping.  Is the sun too much for you?  I have water…."  Millie breaks contact with the unusually large violet eyes, slipping a canteen off her shoulder.

Kenshin shakes his head, refusing the water she graciously offered.  _So selfless, so naïve to the wrongs of the world.  So sure of her protection.  I, too, will protect her,_ he thinks.  She embodies the Meiji perfection he'd wanted for all of Japan in a rather sweet nutshell; he finds himself eerily attached to her, clinging to an unspoken bond in a world of uncertainty and change.

Vash frowns, staring unwittingly at the rurouni before him hiding behind his long, fiery bangs.  _What did I do to him?  Did we fight?_  He fingers the lump on his forehead, closing his eyes as a wave of dizziness slams into him with the hefty weight of ten sand steamers.  _Man, what hit me?_ Vash wonders, rubbing the throbbing purple welt on his head.  His head's pounding, and as he touches it, his vision blurs, throwing him into a sudden wave of nausea.  He closes his eyes, badly wanting to lie back down.  Noting the swift change in Vash's ki, Kenshin turns towards the broom-head.

"Are you all right?"  Guilt drips over him like a thick wax coating; he keeps his face hidden behind his long, unruly mane.

The sight is almost comical to Vash; swallowing amused laughter, he nods carefully, resting one hand to his temple.  "Yeah, I'm fine.  My name's Vash."  He holds out his hand, startling Meryl.

Oops.  She'd forgotten to introduce him.  "Vash, this is Himura Kenshin.  You ran into him, more or less, over the sand dune.  He's lost, looking for somewhere called Tokyo."

Kenshin bows respectfully to him, but declines his hand.  _I can't.  My sins will remain on my hands alone._  He doesn't yet realize exactly how stained Vash is himself, though through no fault of his own.  "Please forgive me; I caused the lump on your head, de gozaru yo."  Standing straight, he shakes his head, giving Vash his first clear view of the feminine violet eyes.

Vash blinks, noting the delicate, feminine features that make the petite man before him.  Slightly unnerved, he shrugs.  "I've had worse."  He stands, waiting for the earth around him to stop spinning.  His whole body hurts, covered in bruises, driven past exhaustion by Meryl's threats and near misses.  Her cooperation and relative quiet is a welcome change; he just can't figure out what he does to annoy her.  The thought saddens him, oddly enough; he frowns, mulling that over, resuming the trek towards the town.  Kenshin nods in silent acknowledgement, falling into step beside Vash, the girls following his unspoken example.  Heading in relative quiet towards the town, the foursome form a thin, ominous, almost comical line.

"Vash, how are you feeling?"  Meryl turns to him, noting he still keeps a hand to his forehead.  _Odd.  He's never done that before._  Her lips press into a thin line, concerned, and she rests a hand on his arm, coaxing it gently, from his temple, drawing it back down to his side before she releases her hold on him.  His arm falls obediently, not eager to worry or anger Meryl – and, given his luck, he'd get one or the other, or maybe even both.

Vash turns to look at Meryl, meeting her large, concerned oceanic pools, and smiles, as if the simple action can smooth over all their troubles, calm the waters.  He'd like to put his hand back up to his temple, but he's afraid of invoking her demonic wrath.  "My head feels like ten sand steamers ran it over."  He nearly stumbles, leaning heavily on Kenshin, who, despite his diminutive size, is actually intensely strong.  Then again, swordsmen have to be in order to be adept at their skill.  Swords are much more difficult to master than guns are, and as such, they require intense work.  He shakes loose of his reverie's maddening grip on his consciousness, leaving behind only empty dizziness.  "Sorry.  I'm pretty dizzy too."  _And very nauseous._  But he's not about to admit that – not unless he has to.  It's just too embarrassing!

Meryl swallows, glancing first at Millie, then Kenshin.  _It's all my fault.  If I hadn't started shooting at him in the first place, he wouldn't be feeling so sick right now.  Come to think of it, I've never seen Vash sick._  She rests her head in her hands, sitting down, causing the others to stop.  _This is all…my…fault.  I'm supposed to be looking after Vash, keeping him out of trouble, and I caused him more trouble and pain to boot!_  Suddenly, shadows fall over her face; she looks up, startled, to see Kenshin looming over her, large violet eyes clouded with unrecognizable emotion.

_She's blaming herself.  Vash was running from her…she was angry, shooting at him, but not to hurt him.  Like…Kaoru-dono…and her bokken._  He draws a breath, forcefully shoving his bitter sadness and loss deeper into the shadowed recesses of his soul.  He _will_ return to Tokyo, to his Kaoru-dono.  If it's the last thing he does…if it kills him…he will see her again, and he will find a way to become worthy enough to claim her for his own.  _Meryl cares about Vash.  Maybe…maybe Kaoru-dono could care for me!_  He blinks, a brilliant, warm, comforting, exciting hope surfacing; renewed, he kneels down to Meryl.  "Meryl, daijoubu?"

She nods, steeling herself to the pain, if only for Vash's sake and to keep a professional appearance.  _This is my job.  If I remember that, I'll be ok._  "Daijoubu, Kenshin."  She looks up, then stands, looking towards their goal.  "Come on.  It's not that much farther.  The sooner we can get you to a doctor, Vash, the better _I'll_ feel."  This is all part of her job; she needs to extricate him from the mess she's caused.  Only then can she finish her latest report to Bernardelli.  After that, the world will finally be spinning on the right axis again.

As if.  Kenshin frowns severely, dragging his feet in the oddly dry, parched, bleached dirt.  _They're like rocks, only crushed.  As if Sano were to use the futae no kiwami to cover all of Tokyo._  He blinks, stopping as they reach the hospital.  _Maybe…maybe the well dragged me somewhere where he really did crush all the rocks in Japan!  ORO!_  He groans mentally, swallowing the sound lest his new comrades have reason to worry that much more over his predicament.

Meryl looks up at the large building looming before them.  Luckily, they'd chosen an inn less than a block away from the hospital, just in case.  Unfortunately, it had to come in handy, and at Meryl's expense.  It's a very good thing she's in the insurance business…otherwise, she'd be totally jinxed.  "Millie, please take Kenshin to our hotel.  Ask the clerk at the front desk for an extra cot for the night.  If they have a problem, just tell them to add it to our bill, and we'll take care of it when we check out.  I'm going to go with Vash to make sure he's all right, and we'll come back soon."

Millie nods, smiling an evil smile – well, evil for Millie.  It turns out to be more of a smirk than anything else, bless her gentle heart.  _I remember the time my oldest older sister set my second youngest older sister up to be alone with her boyfriend.  She convinced everyone to be conveniently elsewhere….  Meryl needs some time alone with Mister Vash, or else she'll never tell him how she feels!_  Her plan newly resolved, she nods once, beaming.  "Good luck, Meryl.  Take good care of Vash.  See you back at the hotel!"

_That's odd.  She usually has questions for me.  'Good luck, Meryl?'  Millie, are you feeling all right?_  Meryl just shakes her head; first, she'll take care of Vash's injuries, and then she'll give Millie the third degree.  _I wonder if…._  She glances sidelong at Kenshin, her eyes widening slightly, pushing Vash bodily into the hospital; if her mind wasn't currently elsewhere, she'd find his stumbling objections comical.  _Nah.  No way._  Millie's into Wolfwood, isn't she?  There's just no way she could be interested in Kenshin – hell, he's half a foot shorter than she is!

"Well, Mr. Swordsman, I guess I should take you to our hotel now."  At this, Kenshin's eyes widen and he gulps at the simple implications she's so very blithely unaware of.

"M-Millie-d-dono, sessha…sessha isn't—"__

Just then, Millie turns around and gasps, beaming.  "Mister Priest!"


	5. Vestiges of Amber

**Disclaimers:  **I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Trigun, nor do I own Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Millie Thompson, Meryl Strife, Himura Kenshin, Vash the Stampede, Battousai, Wolfwood's Cross Punisher, Tongari, Millions Knives, Kamiya Kaoru, or Myojin Yahiko.  All I own is the authorglue used to bind these series together in my first crossover fic.  This fic is nonprofit, shared solely for the purpose of enjoyment.  I get nothing out of posting this except happiness to share with my reviewers and other fans.

**_Vestiges of Amber_**

Wolfwood smiles a bright, roguish smile, bearing his large cross on one arm, his other hand waving towards Millie and her unknown, understatured companion.  "Hey there."  He starts towards them, lazily sauntering in their direction.  "Did Meryl catch him?"

Millie, blinks, still beaming, then shakes her head, leading Kenshin down the narrow street towards the inn.  Wolfwood, like the dutiful "husband" he is, follows, falling into step alongside her.  "No.  Vash was running over a sand dune and all of a sudden we heard the sound of metal.  I was so afraid, but Meryl said we had to go stop whatever was happening, so we went over the dunes and found Mr. Swordsman there.  He'd knocked Mr. Vash unconscious and left him with a nasty bruise.  They went to the hospital and told us not to wait up for them."  True to form, Millie continued on in her effervescent tone until she nigh ran out of air, then stopped, catching her breath with a smile.  _Everyone is forgivable.  Mr. Swordsman didn't mean to hurt Mr. Vash.  He's really a nice person.  I hope Mr. Priest will forgive him…and I hope Meryl won't be too mad at me…._

Wolfwood laughs, tossing his head back a moment.  "Millie, you never change."  Sobering – at least somewhat – he tones down to a smile.  "So Meryl took Vash to the hospital and told us not to wait up for them.  Was he really hurt that bad?"  He raises a brow in disbelief at the same time as Kenshin starts to object.  Much to Kenshin's surprise, Millie throws a small hand in front of him, signaling for him to remain quiet.  Much to Wolfwood's surprise, she nods, smiling.  "His head was hurt pretty badly and he was having a hard time walking."  Her smile widens as they reach the small inn; in a hushed, excited tone, she adds, "Besides, I thought Mr. Vash and Meryl could use some time alone together!"

"ORO!"  Kenshin tips over bodily, the image of oro all the way down.  Wolfwood, on the other hand, laughs even harder than before, resting one arm around Millie's shoulders.  _She's so precious!  Man, I didn't know she had it in her to set that bombshell up with Vash!  Shit, I'm gonna love this!_  Once he can keep his laughter in check, he smiles down warmly at Millie, rubbing her shoulders gently.

"Shall we go inside, then, and order something for dinner?"  Wolfwood moves his arm in preparation for the boisterous reply.

"Yeah!"  Millie raises both hands in the air, jumping, giggling like a schoolgirl, running inside to the front desk.  After all, she hasn't forgotten that Kenshin will need a cot for the night.  The clerk at the front desk frowns, calling to a bellhop, who disappears through a service door.  The clerk's diversion complete, she explains that she can't allow three men in one room; they'll need to rent an extra room.  Millie, seeing no harm in that, nods agreeably, signing for a third room for Kenshin.

Outside, Wolfwood smiles, shrugs, and glances at Kenshin, who has managed to prop himself up on his elbows behind him, still dizzied with his trademark oro eyes.  Wolfwood leans forward slightly to offer him a hand, but the rurouni politely declines with a shake of the untamed red hair and manages to lift himself to his feet, brushing off his white hakama.  "Is Millie-dono always like this?" he asks in a rather defeated tone.

Wolfwood starts at the polite nature of this girlish man.  _Is this guy for real?_  "Yeah, pretty much.  Let's go."  He heads towards where Millie's leaning against the front counter, dangling a key in her hand.

"Oro…" Kenshin mumbles halfheartedly, following in Wolfwood's footsteps._  This man…is Millie-dono his woman?  Is he the one protecting her?_  Kenshin has seen Christian crosses once or twice, so he guesses that Wolfwood is somehow related to the Christian faith.  Millie calls him Mr. Priest, so he must be a Christian Priest.  Are they allowed to…?  He shakes his head to clear his mind of such thoughts, red hinting in his cheeks at his embarrassment.  As he steps inside the building, a cool blast of air hits him.  Startled, he jumps back to face the source, a lonely air conditioner, drawing his blade.

Seeing Kenshin's reaction, Millie's eyes go wide.  She drops the key, running towards him.  "Mr. Swordsman, no!  It's just a machine!"

"A masshin?  Ano, what is a masshin?" Kenshin asks worriedly, sword tip aimed at the apparent "heart" of the machine:  its controls.

Millie blinks, wondering exactly how far away his Tokyo is now.  "Mr. Swordsman, this machine makes the air cold for us and gives us a break from the heat.  Please don't break it!"  _If Mr. Swordsman gets us into trouble here, Meryl's going to KILL me!_  "Mr. Swordsman, please put the sword away.  It's not going to hurt you!  It's just a machine!"  Cue panic, Millie style.  She whimpers, suddenly craving pudding, clasping her hands together in front of her, large brown eyes glistening with worried tears.

Kenshin grits his teeth, fighting the amber swarming in maddening, deafening hordes in his eyes and in his head.  His thought processes are all muddled, and as he looks to the sound of Millie's voice, he finds that he can no longer see her; all he can see is a vaguely feminine shadow of where she ought to be.  Everyone's gone or, more appropriately, everyone has been reduced to shadows, targets for Battousai._  Please, no.  Not now, de gozaru.  There is no danger here!_

**_Like hell there isn't, rurouni.  Just get the fuck out of my way!_**  Battousai comes roaring in, Kenshin's eyes narrowing in pure, chilling amber, slamming the rurouni into the farthest recesses of Kenshin's mind.  "Back off, woman," Kenshin growls, turning gleaming amber eyes on her.  "This masshin is the tool of the devil.  It must be destroyed!"  **_It must be destroyed if we are to live._**  Lifting his blade, he reverses it, plunging downwards, aiming for the center of the vile machine.

Frozen in place, Millie's helpless to do anything except will her knees to keep her standing.  She watches numbly as Wolfwood dodges around her, knowing that they'd be in a world of hurt if this psycho broke the air conditioner.  They couldn't wash enough dishes to cover the damages in a year – no, two years' time.  Flinging his "cross" upwards, he parries Kenshin's blade, stumbling with the force of the impact, the cloth tearing away from the massive gun.  "Look, I don't know what your problem is, but now's not the time to be fighting.  Machines aren't tools of the devil.  They're tools invented by society to make all our lives better!"  He pauses, clearing his throat, regaining his calm, cool attitude.  "Please remove your blade, man."

His tirade over, Wolfwood returns to Millie's side, resting his hands on her shoulders, moving slightly behind her, ready to catch her if she faints suddenly.  "Hey, you ok?"  His voice is gentle; Millie leans back against him slightly, but blinks and smiles, nodding.  _What's with this guy?  Is he out of his mind?  What the hell is he doing here, and with Millie, Vash, and Meryl?  Are they trying to get themselves killed?_  He frowns severely, deciding that Tongari will get a good beating for this one after the girls have left for the night.  _Shit, this man's worse than Knives!_

As quickly as the internal battle had been won it starts again, the rurouni using his godlike speed to confront Battousai in his moment of confusion.  _He's right, de gozaru yo.  This masshin thing is not the devil's tool.  You, on the other hand…._  Battousai snarls.**_  What the fuck?  Am I the only one who understands what's going on here?  You're too damn weak to do what's right for the good of everyone in this inn!  You're content to let the devil take all these people!  What the fuck are you fighting for?_**_  Control, de gozaru.  And on the contrary, you're the only one who DOESN'T understand what's going on here!  There's nothing to be afraid of, and there's no reason to destroy the masshin, de gozaru yo!_  Battousai, startled, takes one step back, and then another.  It's all the rurouni needs; with as much viciousness as Battousai's initial attack, he hurls Battousai into the very same corner, then brutally kicks him in the gut to knock him out, thus winning the rurouni some much needed peace.

Suddenly, Kenshin's ragged breathing stops; his hunched shoulders straighten, lifting him up to his full height.  Shaking away his shock of red hair, the couple standing before him are surprised to find that his eyes are once again the same gentle violet of before.  No amber vestiges cling to the pacifistic, oddly beautiful hue.  His voice is equally gentle, quiet.  "I am sorry, de gozaru yo.  Please forgive my outburst."  He sheathes his sword, then bows before them, hoping to regain their trust.  "_I wasn't in my right mind, de gozaru._"

Millie shrugs out of Wolfwood's cautious, protective hold, stepping towards Kenshin.  "Poor Mr. Swordsman.  That heat must have really gotten to you.  Let's get you right upstairs and into bed and get you a nice cold glass of water to drink."  _Poor Mr. Swordsman!  He's as sick as Vash is!_  Thinking back, she ponders over his words, then shakes her head.  No, she won't think about it.  It doesn't matter now.  _Everything is forgivable._

_That girl has a heart of gold._  Wolfwood smiles, watching her, his warm happiness tempered with the knowledge that she wants to take care of a man he can't trust.  _Oh well.  I guess we'd better get him to lie down, get him better again.  Then we can start asking questions._  He follows Millie, the trio heading up to the newest room to get Kenshin into bed.  Kenshin follows along, figuring they wouldn't believe him if he were to tell them what was going on, at least not until he's rested and can prove to them that he's healthy once again.

Meryl helps Vash up the stairs of the hotel and into the room he shares with Wolfwood.  "Are you sure you're going to be ok, Vash?  Can I get you anything?  Water?  Something to eat, maybe?"  _I don't want to just leave him here, not after that concussion!  The doctor said he'd be ok, and he didn't have any brain damage, but I'd just feel better if someone kept an eye on him…._

Vash shakes his head slowly; much to his chagrin, his vision blurs.  Moaning, he lies down, resting his head on the bed's pillow.  "No, Meryl, I'm ok.  You should go check on Millie and Kenshin.  I'll be ok in a few hours, really."  He throws a megawatt smile in her direction, unaware that the very action made her heart skip a beat.  Really, he only wanted her to shut the door and leave him in the dark to sleep in what may be the only quiet he'll get for a long time to come.

Reluctantly, Meryl nods, accepting his flimsy excuse for what it is – a request to be left alone.  Closing his door behind her, she leans on it, tipping her head back, sighing, a hand clasped over her heart._  If only I could tell him…but I know he could never love me.  It could never happen._  Blinking back tears, she quits the line of thinking before she starts crying, wiping away the first threatening droplets with trembling fingertips as she heads towards her room.

Opening her door, she notices it's empty.  "Millie?  Millie, are you in here?"  _Hmm, that's funny.  Millie was supposed to bring Kenshin right back.  And…wait, she was supposed to get another cot for Kenshin, but there were only two beds in Vash's room!  Stupid girl…where could she and Wolfwood have taken him?  If they even took him at all._  She muses bitterly, cursing her friend for forgetting something she considered vital; she refuses to think about what might happen if Kenshin were to wander around lost on his own.

Heading down the stairs, she approaches the front desk to ask the clerk for a cot.  She's surprised to find that yes, her partner had indeed asked for one, but the clerk had suggested they take another room.  She said it was for safety reasons, and that having three people in one room is a fire hazard.  Meryl suspects that a more likely explanation for the third room is a commission incentive from her boss.  It was just like Millie to agree to that.  _Damn it, Millie!  Don't you know we're working on a budget here?  We can't afford these kinds of things!_  Shaking her head, she thanks the clerk, storming upstairs to the new room.

Hearing footsteps approach with a less-than-peaceful aura about them, Kenshin jumps out of bed immediately, dodging Millie and Wolfwood, who glance at each other, wondering if he's about to have another episode.  Wolfwood stands to stop him just as the door flings wide open on its hinges, cracking against the wall with force.  A fuming Meryl stands where the door had previously been, hands balled into fists, a scowl deeply lining her face.  "Oro!"  Kenshin jumps back.  _It's just Meryl, de gozaru._

While Kenshin works on calming his nerves – and an eager Battousai – Meryl has clear access to Millie.  She stomps over to her partner and points a livid finger.  "Millie, how could you do such a thing?  You were supposed to put an extra cot in Vash's room, not get an extra room!  Who's going to pay for this?  Not Bernardelli, that's for sure!  There are only two of us!  How can we validate a third hotel room?  We can barely validate two rooms as it is!  We're just lucky the chief's a good man.  But three rooms?"  Meryl shakes her head, sitting down next to Millie, who was next to Wolfwood.

Kenshin blinks, watching the one-sided accusation.  _It's like I'm back home in the dojo…only instead of Kaoru-dono yelling at Yahiko, it's Meryl-dono yelling at Millie-dono._  He sighs heavily, silently, not wanting to attract Meryl's fiery, angered attention._  What I wouldn't give to be back home with Kaoru-koishii right now!_  Bowing his head, he tunes out the rest of the conversation, lost in intense sorrow.

Millie pouts slightly, sighing, undaunted by the tirade.  _Meryl, I hate to see you angry like this, and I hate to make you mad.  But it was just too cramped in that room for another man to fit in there, even if he is as small  as Mr. Swordsman!_  "I'm sorry, Meryl.  I'll pay for the room.  Please don't be angry."  Millie turns toward her friend.  "Please?"

_How _can_ I be mad at someone like you, Millie?_  Meryl smiles, nodding.  "Ok, ok, Millie.  Don't worry about the room.  We'll be able to pay for it.  Who knows?  Bernardelli might just understand that we picked up a lost traveler in the desert.  After all, we _are_ working with Vash the Stampede!"  She chuckles, which starts Millie smiling, then giggling.  "Anything's possible!"

"Yeah, Meryl.  That's true!  But…" she sobers, fidgeting nervously.  "Mr. Swordsman isn't feeling too well either."  She leans in towards Meryl, whispering in her ear.  "When we got here, he tried to attack the air conditioner by the door!  Mr. Priest and I think it's heat stroke."  In a rare scholastic moment, Millie nods, looking more comical than sage.

"Kenshin, perhaps you should lie down."  Meryl stands, turning down the blankets on the bed next to the one she'd been sitting on.  "Millie and I will get you some cold water, and then you should rest.  When you and Vash are feeling better, we can start trying to figure out where you're from and how to get you back there."  Kenshin nods, slipping between the covers.  Carrying a man half again his size through the desert under a blazing hot sun had been hard work; as soon as his head hits the pillow, he's fast asleep.

Unbeknownst to them, a way back to Tokyo would soon prove to be a harder task than any of them dreamed possible.


	6. Truth and Desperation

**Disclaimers:  **I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Trigun, nor do I own Himura Kenshin, Meryl Strife, Sekihara Tae, Takani Megumi, Kamiya Kaoru, Vash the Stampede, Cho the Sword Hunter, Battousai, Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Millie Thompson, Myojin Yahiko, Sagara Sanosuke, Wolfwood's Cross Punisher, Saito Hajime, Bernardelli Insurance Company, Rem Savrem, Project SEEDS, Tongari, or Gunsmoke.  All I own is the authorglue used to bind these series together in my first crossover fic.  This fic is nonprofit, shared solely for the purpose of enjoyment.  I get nothing out of posting this except happiness to share with my reviewers and other fans.

****

**_Truth and Desperation_**

When Kenshin wakes, he is surrounded by faces.  Tensing, he sits up, looking around him.  The sun's up, blaring through thick, dark curtains, lighting the room with a deep, comfortable glow.  Searching the faces surrounding him, he relaxes.  Meryl is on his left, sitting primly in a cozy chair, ankles crossed, hands folded in her lap.  She exudes business practicality and friendly common sense.  In more ways than one, she reminds him of Tae._  Tae-dono, I hope you and Megumi-dono are taking care of Kaoru-dono._  He sighs in speculation.  _Kaoru-dono…I'm sorry.  I cannot protect you here.  I…can't do anything for you…can't see you…._  His words dissolve in ineffable sorrow, smiting his happiness, his confidence, breaking his spirit – but not his will to live.  That is not his to barter.  He must live for penance and for the sliver of hope that dully shines in such dark circumstances, the hope that he'll see Kaoru again one day.

Vash is next to Meryl, his eyes hidden behind his golden glasses, hair as spiky as Cho the Sword Hunter's.  He's hunched over, chin resting in gloved hands, motionless in contemplative silence, waiting for Kenshin to wake, perhaps.  The gathering is somewhat odd, come to think of it.  Don't they have lives to attend to?  Surely he's not holding them up, is he?  Kenshin blinks, then looks to his right, by his sword hand, where Millie is peering over him in a doting, motherly way.  One hand rests lightly on the bed, twisting the sheets in her fingers.  Kenshin sighs; he must have been having nightmares again.  Perhaps he'd called out in the night…but if that was true, why hadn't they woken him?  Did they still consider him a threat after the incident with Battousai yesterday afternoon?  _I know the Priest doesn't trust me.  Millie, though, forgave me almost instantly…she was afraid, but she approached me anyways, showing compassion.  As if she can forgive and forget…just…just like Kaoru._  He lies back down on the bed, resting his head on the pillow.  _Kaoru-dono.  I miss you…I miss you so much.  And I miss Yahiko, Sano, Megumi-dono…our friends and family.  Maybe…maybe these people will help me get back to Tokyo, to all of you._  He opens his eyes again, then looks directly opposite him to the foot of the bed where the Priest is lounging.

The Priest is at Millie's left, leaning back in his chair, one arm hanging over the back, the other curling around his "cross" lovingly.  Between his lips, off to the side slightly, is a bent and well-loved cigarette, wispy gray trails of noxious smoke floating in billowy arcs towards the ceiling.  His black hair hangs in wisps over his eyes, but is cropped short in the back, and his neat, tailored suit marks him an almost spitting image.  He's different in dress, but the spirit is the same.  "Saitou…" he growls, sitting up once more.  Vivid violet eyes shift about, looking for a way to escape the bed, but he finds himself trapped on both sides.  Furthermore, Vash and the Priest are in front of him, the latter looking ready to spring at him should he move.  He has no way to squeeze past the men without risking injury to the women.  Taking a deep breath, he composes himself; he seems to be jumping to conclusions lately, on edge in this new world around him.  Certainly he can trust these people as he trusts his friends at home, can't he?  The smell of gunpowder reeks from all of them, but they've not drawn a gun to him, nor do they show any signs of a battle aura.  In fact, they seem quite peaceful – except for the Preacher.  He's still an enigma, and looking like Saitou doesn't help him at all.  Then again, he's not in Tokyo.  That much is certain, and therefore, the Preacher cannot be Saitou.  Perhaps he's judging the man too harshly; he deserves a chance, even if it is a wary one.  Suddenly, Kenshin smiles to all four members sitting around him.  "Ohayou gozaimasu."  He bows his head to them, smiling sheepishly, suddenly feeling the heat of being in the spotlight.  He tenses, but doesn't have long to wait.

Millie perks up, removing her hand from the sheets, clasping them in her lap.  "Good morning, Mr. Swordsman!" she chirps cheerily, moving to stand from her chair.  "Are you hungry?"  She moves her chair against the wall and moves to a small table, retrieving a small platter containing a small, warm breakfast.  "I hope you are, because Millie and I made breakfast for you!"  Setting it down on his lap, she turns her light aquamarine eyes on him.  "How do you take your coffee, Mr. Swordsman?"  She smiles again, lighthearted, heading towards the door to fetch him a cup.

_Kouhii…what is kouhii?_  Kenshin blinks.  "Ano…."  _Wait!  Kouhii is a western beverage.  Perhaps I'm in Europe?_  He shakes his head.  "I'd prefer tea, if you don't mind."  He looks up into those aqua eyes, hoping against hope that he could get a nice hot cup of tea to calm his somewhat erratic nerves.  To his relief, Millie nods and heads out of the room to brew a local favorite.  One problem solved, he slowly turns towards Meryl.  "Meryl-dono, is something wrong, de gozaru ka?  I don't want to keep any of you from work that needs to be done."

Meryl smiles, though the action is somewhat strained.  _Millie and I called in sick today because we feel obligated to find out where you're from and try to help you get back home._  Standing, she draws the curtains, revealing a brightness that causes all of the room's occupants to blink and squint a moment, trying to get used to the intensity of the light.  Kenshin, however, is trying to get used to a bit more than just the suns; taking another glance around the room, he's shocked at the disparities between this room and his bedroom at the dojo.  In the window is another one of those contraptions…a masshin, they'd called it, a masshin to cool the air indoors.  There are two western-style beds, one of which he'd slept in overnight, and a small table between them, upon which stood an oddly shaped lantern.  At least, he thought it was a lantern.  There are two more of these strange lanterns flanking a tall table on the opposite wall, suspended on long metal stalks.  He blinks in utter confusion, looking around in wonder, broken only by the Priest's speculations.

Wolfwood chuckles, watching Kenshin.  "Geez.  If I didn't know better, I'd say this guy came straight out of the past!"  He guffaws at this idea, leaning further back in his chair, propping himself on the cross.  If only he knew how accurate the statement is, and how much deeper the issue at hand runs.

_The past?_  Kenshin hadn't entertained the thought of time travel.  _No, it can't be.  Time travel is not possible!_

Millie returns just then with a pot of tea and a small cup and saucer, elements that are somewhat foreign to Kenshin, more western in style.  Only the pricier, upscale restaurants in Tokyo offer them.  As Millie pours the tea for him, though, he finds that at least that's comfortably familiar.  He nods his thanks, "Arigatou, Millie-dono," and takes a sip.  The warm liquid slides soothingly down his throat, easing his mind and his muscles, showing him how to relax.

_Kenshin looked around the room as if this is all new to him…and from Millie's description, he'd never seen an air conditioner before.  And now he's blinking…as if he's considering the possibility of time travel!  I'd say it couldn't happen, but after meeting Vash, nothing's so certain as it was back when I had a nice desk job at Bernardelli._  "Kenshin?" Meryl asks, returning to her seat beside him.  "Where is it you're from again?

Kenshin takes another sip, then sets the cup and saucer down on his own tray, which had remained untouched while he waited for the beverage.  "Tokyo.  I'm from Tokyo."

Vash immediately looks up, startled.  _Rem was from Tokyo.  _Back on the SEEDS ship, Rem had told him all about the old world…Earth, she had called it.  One of the most productive countries on Earth had been Japan.  Rem said she grew up there, in a city called Tokyo.  He'd been interested in Rem's world and had studied Earth extensively, hoping to aid in Rem's dream of making their new planet in Earth's image.  He'd paid particular attention to Japan, and Tokyo in particular.  "Tokyo was a large city in Japan back on the old world.  On Earth."  _Rem's Earth._  His voice was low, soft, the guilt tugging at his heart particularly strong.  Perhaps if he's able to help this man, he'd be honoring Rem, somehow.

"But that's impossible!  People can't travel through time!  Have you gone nuts, Tongari?"  Wolfwood leans over towards Vash, tackling him, seizing his head in a vice grip, then proceeding to try to knock some sense into him.  Vash begins protesting, his eyes bulging, arms flailing wildly in one of his common tantrums.

"I would have thought it was impossible, once," Meryl starts in a small voice, looking first to Kenshin, then to Wolfwood, her words drowning out Vash's screams.  "But then I met Vash, and after _that_, I realized that anything is possible.  What year is it, Kenshin?  In Tokyo, that is."

Kenshin looks up into Meryl's azure blue eyes, seeing Kaoru for a moment.  Blinking, he looks again, seeing only Meryl, as expected.  _I'm hallucinating…._  Ordinarily, her question would be silly, but under these extreme circumstances, perhaps it's not so strange.  Picking up a spoon, he answers as best he can.  "Meiji 13.  I think on European calendars the year is…1880."  He'd learned a little bit about Europe from visiting friends, and his guess is quite accurate, doing his memory justice.  Vash can vouch for that.

"Yaaaaah!  Wolfwood, would you please let go of me?"  He wants to validate Kenshin's statement, but it's hard to do that while someone's rubbing his bony knuckles into your scalp!

"Oh!"  Wolfwood laughs heartily, startled, putting one hand behind his head as he sits up.  "Sorry 'bout that, needle-noggin."  _Coulda sworn you needed it…._

Vash takes a deep breath, thankful for being able to do so once again.  He turns to Kenshin.  "1880, did you say?" he asks, wanting to be sure he heard right amidst the sound of his brains being pureed.  Kenshin bobs his red head in response; Vash turns towards Meryl, offering a polite smile, more than slightly intrigued.  "What Wolfwood said is quite true, actually.  This man has traveled twelve hundred and fifty years into the future…and what's more, he has also traveled from Earth to Gunsmoke!"

The room's five occupants are stunned into silence, each struggling with the reality set before them that, by conventional standards, is impossibly hard to grasp.  Kenshin bows his head, finishing the soup before him, sipping his tea.  _Kaoru-dono…I'm afraid it may be impossible for me to ever see you again….  Gomen, koishii.  I never once told you…I didn't think it was appropriate, and I knew that you could never feel the same.  You never _should_ feel the same for one as stained, for a soul as blackened with filth as mine.  But…no matter how unworthy I was…._  He sighs, closing his eyes to the burning tears threatening to spill down his cheeks.  He's thankful for the brilliant red cover curtaining him with privacy, just in case tears do spill.  They're dangerously close, and he's nigh unable to control them.  _Kaoru-koishii…._  He swallows, hesitant to reveal his true feelings to her, even if only in a monologue in his own head, one she cannot hear._  Aishiteru, anata._

Far away, in a dojo on another world in a time long since passed, a tanuki with dazzling sapphire pools sneezes.


	7. Where Else Can a Well Go?

**Disclaimers:  **I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor do I own Himura Kenshin, Kamiya Kaoru, Takani Megumi, Myojin Yahiko, Battousai, or Sagara Sanosuke.  All I own is the authorglue used to bind these series together in my first crossover fic.  This fic is nonprofit, shared solely for the purpose of enjoyment.  I get nothing out of posting this except happiness to share with my reviewers and other fans.

**_Where Else Can a Well Go?_**

_Kenshin….  _Kaoru's eyes water, her muscles tightening, trembling.  Shivering, she draws in an involuntary gasp of air, then sneezes, almost violently._  Someone…someone's thinking about me.  Kenshin, is it you?  Are you thinking of me…wherever you are?_  She moves numbly, as if in a bad dream, tears sparkling as they wind well-worn trails down her cheeks, heading towards the well.  _I wish I knew…I wish I could be where you are, wish I knew that I'd see you again.  Something…anything to make the wait bearable._  Suddenly, the feeling grips her once more; she sneezes, not once this time, but thrice in rapid succession.  _Oh Kenshin…gomen.  This is all my fault!  If I hadn't…._

"You know what they say, Kaoru.  When you sneeze like that, someone's saying or thinking nice things about you."  Megumi smiles, hoping to lift the young tanuki girl's spirits in spite of the apparent tragedy she faces.  Sano, walking beside her, glances around the complex.  It's unnaturally quiet, even without Yahiko's antics.  Speaking of which, the little monster speeds past the two adults and rejoins his shihondai, crossing his arms, feet spread, looking up as if to brace her, should she break down.  Cute kid, really, if you can get past the tough samurai shell.

"Oi, Jou-chan, where's Kenshin?"  The quiet is unnerving for someone so used to – and in tune with – action surrounding the man once known as Battousai.  He glances around, his eyes stopping warily at the well.  _Yahiko said she saw him fall into the well, but I hear nothing.  Maybe he just dreamt that._

"What are you, an idiot?  I _told_ you what happened, stupid rooster!  Kaoru said he fell into the well, and when we looked in, there was _nothing there._  Not even the bucket or the rope!"  Yahiko balls his fists, tipping his chin up in defiance, his tone rough, not quite as childish as his years ought to dictate.  He could hardly blame Sano, though.  After all, where exactly does a well go but down into the ground?  There's nowhere to disappear to!

"It's true."  Kaoru stares at the ground, lackluster blue eyes half-lidded.  Her voice sounds her acceptance of defeat; Megumi's rich cinnamon eyes soften for the girl, aware of the sudden sorrow she burdens on her shoulders.  Sano heads to the well, but before he can look in, Kaoru looks up, startled.  "Don't!  Don't go any closer to it.  Something…something happened.  I can't explain it, but one moment, Kenshin was drawing water from the well, and then in the next moment, he was…pulled in.  He couldn't have run anywhere or been taken, because there was no one near the well.  It was the middle of the night, and everything was quiet.  He was gone."

"Kaoru, I understand that you're worried about something happening to one of us just as it seems to have happened to Kenshin."  Megumi steps towards Kaoru, her voice gentle, soothing, sharing some qualities of the detached doctor giving her patient bad news.  "But you and Yahiko both took a look, and nothing happened to you then, did it?"  Kaoru shook her head, wiping at her tears with the corner of her sleeve.  "When something happens that we can't explain, we have to investigate.  We have to do it for Ken-san."

Stricken by the thought that Megumi was, indeed right, Kaoru looks up, nodding.  _Was I so afraid of losing my friends that I was willing to let Kenshin go and not try to save him?_  Fresh tears well up in her eyes; she starts towards the well, resting her heavy hands upon its rim.  _Gomen, Kenshin…for all the times you've saved me…for all the times you've saved all of us, I will now save you.  We _will_ find you!_

"Jou-chan…."  Sano appears at her side, looking down into the depths of the well.  "We will find him.  People don't just disappear.  They go somewhere.  All we have to do is find where he went."

"Easier said than done, Rooster."  Megumi appears in front of the well, followed by Yahiko.  The four friends are silent for a moment, each peering down into the unfathomable depths.  There's no sign of water anywhere; the rope and bucket are gone, making the well seem to go on forever.

Kaoru's quiet voice interrupts the silence.  "But if Kenshin went somewhere…then the well doesn't just go down.  Where else can a well go?"  The question seems so innocent, yet the answers are about to become so profound that this one simple question will take weeks for the Kenshin gumi to figure out.

A silence again drips thickly over the four gathered at the well as they all ponder that one question and struggle with personal worries, emptiness, and grief that accompany the loss of their beloved rurouni.  Megumi, seeing Kaoru's tears falling freely into the well, listens for any sound, any echo that would prove that there is water in there, half afraid to hear them and realize Kenshin's not missing but dead.  Suddenly tormented by the reality that offers, her eyes well with unnegotiable tears; she turns to the solace of her rooster's shoulder.  For once, neither one feels the insatiable pull of their everyday banter, the constant, mocking, teasing rudeness they display to skirt around the truth until they're ready to accept fate.  Similarly, Yahiko and Kaoru have called a temporary cease-fire as Yahiko unwillingly accepts the role of man of the dojo in Kenshin's sudden absence.  Someone has to be strong for Kaoru.  He never wants to see Kaoru as she was when Kenshin left for Kyoto, and neither do Sano and Megumi.  But as a surrogate little brother, Yahiko realizes there's more riding on her strength for him; without her, he has nowhere to go.  Before Kenshin came along, it was Kaoru who saved him.

For these reasons and a brotherly love he'll never admit, he leans over the side, calling down into the well.  "Kenshin!  Kenshin, where are you?  Can you hear us?"

There is no echo to the sound, only an empty, dead vacuum, greedily gobbling his words and sending them to the abyss.  All is eerily still…but not for long.  Suddenly, the walls of the well tremble, a swirling vortex lifting from the bottom at a maddening pace, snippets of a twisted reality floating to their ears, causing them to shiver.  Kaoru screams.  _It…it's happening again!_  Sano jumps back, roughly pulling Megumi with him, shielding her from the unknown.

Yahiko is left prone.  With the sound comes an insurgence of water, flooding the well in pure, clear frenzy.  Kaoru turns away, afraid to look, lest she discover one drowned rurouni.  _No…no, Kenshin would never die like that.  He's survived for so long against opponents so much stronger than water.  Surely he'd never drown!_  She turns back…just in time to see Yahiko tossed into the maelstrom, brown eyes wide, his face paled with shock that defies sound.  Horrified, Kaoru is glued to the spot, unable to move, to reach out for him, much as he's too afraid of the unknown to consider reaching for her, grasping the top of the well…anything.  The water moves swiftly, tumbling him about until it completely swallows him in crashing depths; as soon as the last traces of his hair disappear beneath the water, he is gone.

Only then can Kaoru move; she leans forward violently, nearly toppling in herself, screaming at the top of her lungs, so loud, so long, that it would be hours before her voice again found purchase.  "**NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**"


	8. The Water Savior

**Disclaimers:  **I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Trigun, nor do I own Myojin Yahiko, Himura Kenshin, Kamiya Kaoru, Gunsmoke (although Artesia, which is a town I've placed on Gunsmoke, _is_ my creation), Vash the Stampede, Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Millie Thompson, or Meryl Strife.  All I own is the authorglue used to bind these series together in my first crossover fic.  This fic is nonprofit, shared solely for the purpose of enjoyment.  I get nothing out of posting this except happiness to share with my reviewers and other fans.

**_The Water Savior_**

The column of water bears down on Yahiko inside the well with crushing force, yet he feels oddly light, and he has no trouble breathing.  He's torn, horrified of the thought that he does not know what will happen to him, whether he'll drown and die or meet Kenshin by some odd chance.  At the same time, he's disgusted with himself.  He _knew_ the well had taken Kenshin, he _heard_ the odd sounds coming from the well, and yet what did he do?  He stood there, leaning precariously over the edge.  _I practically begged it to suck me in!  Stupid…I'm so stupid!  _Spinning wildly, he's too shocked by the unbelievable event to move, his mind too numb to grope for the sidewalls or top of the well.  He can't fight it at all, nor can he scream; in light of the present circumstances, he can't even think straight.  In a silence that never should have been, Yahiko spins down through the slippery stone column to what ought to be the bottom of the well and a crushing death. 

Above him he can see Kaoru fling herself inwards, searching for him.  "No, Busu!  Stay away!  You're gonna get pulled in!"  Yahiko admonishes her selflessly; he'd reach up and push her out if he could.  But something's different; something's weird beneath the tumultuous, fractious surface of the water.  Kaoru seems to be pulling further away from him, her face ashen, locked in an expression of anguish.  Her warped voice comes to him beneath the water as she disappears from sight.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Her voice trails off, then is silenced as the well shuts him out from his life in Tokyo with a resounding crash, like a steel door slammed shut.  Silence quickly fills with the impartial influx of tidal waters, surging and ebbing.  Snippets of voices whisper tauntingly beneath the waves.  Yahiko strains to hear the voices over the sardonic water, watching silently as the rippling cyclone around him smoothes and becomes calm, though it doesn't lose its speed until its surface is akin to a mirror, a cylindrical silver screen.

_Kaoru's screams echo throughout the Kamiya complex…._

Yahiko, startled to hear Kaoru scream again, looks up above him, expecting to be able to see out of the top of the well.  It's to no avail.  The well itself is gone.  There is nothing above him now but water and infinite darkness.  Yet he's not ready to give up, afraid that Kaoru, too, may be facing the very same circumstances.  More for her sake than his own, he reaches out, searching for clues as to where in the well he is, where she might be.  Straining for a way to get to her, he has to keep her safe in Kenshin's absence.

"Kaoru!  Kaoru, where are you?"

Yahiko doesn't have to wait long for an answer, but never in his wildest dreams would he have expected the answers the well intends to offer in vivid portrayal.  Beginning its initial transformation sequence, the silver screen enveloping him fades into the familiarity of the Kamiya dojo.

_Stumbling in utter horror towards the well, Kaoru peers inside in shock.  "I've lost him."_

"No, Busu!  I'm right here!  Kaoru!"  He reaches upwards, jerking his body violently in an effort to reach out to her, calm her fears.  "Kaoru, grab my hand!  Help me!"  _Let me protect you._  But just as he's not ready to give up on his life in Tokyo, the well's not about to release him from its clandestine motives.  His journey is just now beginning.  The true horrors and ingenuous revelations intrinsic to the well's otherwise good intentions are about to unfold.

Yahiko comes trudging to the well, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Hey, Busu, 'the hell you screaming about in the middle of the night?"  He stands to her side, following her gaze inside the well, noting her silence with no small measure of discomfort.

Yahiko yelps in a distressed mixture of surprise and fear.  The silver screen of water now extends above him and his eyes widen in abject horror, staring at the seeming mirror above him, literally looking up at himself, or, rather, a vision of himself in the recent past, revisiting the events of last night in muted splendor.  But how?  Frantically, he searches around him, his senses fervently reaching out for something rational, logical, or sensible.  "What's going on?  Is anyone there?  Kaoru?  Kenshin?  Hello?"  With each utterance, Yahiko becomes more frantic.  _Any minute now, Kenshin's gonna reach down and I'll grab his hand.  Kenshin will pull me to safety!_  This is the first time since his days with the Yakuza that he's truly felt alone.  Someone _has_ to rescue him, right?  _Kenshin…Kaoru…help!  _His mind and heart race frantically.  "I don't want to be alone!"

The well trembles again, passing through a checkpoint into new fear.  The water screen scrambles, fizzles, and suddenly rushes against him, drowning him in the well's ambitions and his own fears.  The flashback, too, disarranges to the lesser point that the voices attack in an unbearable barrage of taunting mockery, rising in volume and pitch to a feverish scream.

_"What are you looking at anyways?"_

_"He's gone."_

_"You can't expect me to believe that."_

_"Everything's…gone.  I lost him."_

_"Go look for him!"_

Kaoru's words, screamed in a nauseating, nightmarish mantra, echo and begin to nip at his hearing from all around him, closing in on him as if to suffocate him.  His senses overburdened, Yahiko blacks out, finally succumbing to the well's whimsy.  When he next opens his eyes, the water is completely gone, fully imbibed by the black void curling tight against him like a sensual lover, equally gentle.  He tries to move but finds himself paralyzed, his will negated for the higher purpose of an ultimate consciousness, one he previously assumed he knew well but is about to truly experience in novel honesty, opening a new dimension of understanding central to the well's aims.  Snippets of sound surround him, slowly weaving their fibers together into true experience; as the sounds turn to words, Yahiko recognizes the comforting voice of a very confused rurouni.  The well develops the sound until it's crystal clear, echoing not only with Kenshin's utterances, but also with his very actions and thoughts, as if the well itself has actually come alive to disclose this very private information for an ulterior motive.  In this phenomenon, Yahiko can literally see Kenshin.  He makes a desperate grab for the man, but the action only sends ripples through an otherwise smooth surface.  When it again settles, Yahiko understands.  What he's seeing and hearing before him is the past.  As he travels through the well, he exists as Kenshin living the very same experience.

The well is indeed deep and quite dark inside.  From somewhere above Kenshin, the voices of his worried family come swarming down around him, bodiless, groundless marks of the unearthly peril surrounding him.  He reaches upwards, trying to grab hold of the rope, the bucket, the sidewall, anything, but only the gut-wrenching sound of Kaoru's tears greet his palms.

Yahiko stares, disbelieving, as his hands, bloodied and torn by rope, grope frantically for anything to stop his descent.  No – not his hands…_Kenshin's hands!_  As Kenshin's body moves him, his mind grapples with the intense strength barely held in check, the raw emotion Yahiko had suspected must lie dormant now pouring through the very fibers of his being with thriving muscular strength, strong, quickened heartbeat, and the dizzying, passionate connection to the naïve young girl that accepted him into her life without once caring about his past.  His body screams as he strains to fight the inevitable, not ready to give the cherished girl up.  _Wow.  Everyone knows Kenshin loves Kaoru (except her), but this is…this is more than that!  Jeez, Kenshin, why don't'cha just marry Busu already?!_  It's the only valid path for such a deep connection between soulmates, after all.

Yahiko lives the rurouni's agony, his spirit shrinking away from the unfathomable grief settling with crushing heaviness into weary, guilt-bearing bones.  To heighten the loss, he knows he can't protect her from her sorrows, not this time.  He bows his head wearily, his eyes searing, burning with unshed tears.  Long, unruly red bangs hide his twisted expression from himself and his young friend, but the final gripping vision subtly marks fait accompli for the well.

Upon completion of this necessary revelation, the black nothingness of the well beneath Yahiko bottoms out.  The twin desert suns of Gunsmoke assault him; he squints, shielding his eyes, seeing nothing but weird white dirt.  Unlike Kenshin's transport, Yahiko travels faster, hitting the ground in a near sonic boom.  Trying to catch his breath, knocked out upon impact, he can hear the sands separating beneath him.  "Oh shit," he groans; the dry, cracked land beneath him crumbles beneath the force of his weight and he continues to fall, this time directly through the earth.  Upon second impact, his landing is softer, lighter, and a hell of a lot colder!  The ground – and Yahiko – splash into an undiscovered underground spring, causing a geyser to erupt into the air, leaping high above the surface of Gunsmoke.  Yahiko travels with the geyser, grabbing for the bleached ground on the way up.

The sound of the cool, crisp water is far from soothing for Yahiko as he grapples with the crumbling sand for footholds, muttering curses all the while.  The sight is one to behold, for though a drenched, cursing Yahiko may be humorous, flowing water on Gunsmoke is a rarity of worship-worthy status.  Hearing the sudden rush of water, the citizens of Artesia warily begin to emerge from their air-conditioned shelters.  Since a natural spring in Artesia has been hitherto unheard of, they venture tentatively down dusty streets, expecting to find chaos and mass destruction.  The sight accosting them, however, is far beyond their wildest dreams.  Within minutes, an impromptu celebration is at hand under the cool showers of the spring with Yahiko at the epicenter, joyful noise dispersing in shockwaves of a rather different sort through the town, spreading the miraculous news with gusto.

Kenshin, Vash, Wolfwood, Millie, and Meryl pause mid-conjecture in Kenshin's room; they're not oblivious to the jubilation wafting through the open window of the hotel.  The air thickens with the clean smell of water.  Meryl is the first to the window, followed closely by Millie, ready to investigate the new phenomenon.  The insurance girls glance at each other; by now, they've learned to expect the unexpected, knowing full well that nothing is unbelievable.  They've heard this sort of commotion, felt the air thicken, and smelled the pure clean water before.  Before the three men blink, the girls are out the door.  That town had actively been searching for water, and there was a source mapped beneath the ground.  As far as anyone knew, there was no such underground water source here.  It's very odd…and Meryl has a suspicion that the event can be linked to Kenshin.  It certainly merits investigation.  And, as curiosity is a communicable disease, Vash and Wolfwood stand, dragging a clueless, orofull Kenshin out to greet the magnificent sight before them all.

Children laugh and play in puddles underneath an umbrella of clean white water while the adults stand nearby in the mist, enjoying the serenity and newfound security of a permanent water source.  Kenshin looks around upon the smiles, shining eyes, and glowing faces in meandering wonder.  From the looks of it, water is scarce in Artesia.  How hard do these people really have it, living on a hot ball of sand with very little, if any, water to spare?  His violet eyes soften and crease in sadness, wondering how these people have managed to survive to this day.

Wait.  Kenshin's jaw drops.  _Oro…is that Yahiko?_  He does a double take, the subtle motion attracting Vash's attention, and then he's gone, diving into the thick of the crowd hovering near the source of the geyser, basking in the refreshing chill of the crisp spray, gently shielded from the sun's brutality.  Kenshin squeezes through the cavorting masses as only a rurouni can, his violet eyes honing in on what appears to be a rather drenched version of his young friend.  "Yahiko!"

Yahiko looks up suddenly from dodging his new crowd of devout admirers, somewhat apprehensive of the unfamiliar surroundings and the gaijin smothering him, lifting him in the air as if…as if in celebration?  Why?  He just fell into a damn well, down from the sky, and through the ground into an underground spring!  Wait…maybe they saw him fall from the sky and – hey, was that Kenshin's voice, just now?  He writhes out of the town's overzealous grip, falling to a soggy crouch at Kenshin's feet, much to their shared surprise.  "Kenshin!  What the hell's going on?"

Kenshin helps pull Yahiko to his feet, the latter wringing out his banana-split yellow gi, both feeling more than a little odd and out of place here.  Kenshin's frowning gaze glazes over the crowd before he shakes his head.  "I don't know where we are or what's going on, Yahiko, de gozaru yo.  Daijoubu?"  Kenshin starts weaving through the crowd again towards the front porch of a bar, wanting somewhere quieter and out of the way of the celebration to sit down with the boy samurai, who has, indeed, come to join him.  Despite how glad he is to have Yahiko's companionship, he's saddened even more.  He hasn't yet found any hope of returning to his home, and now Yahiko will share his fate.  It's more than unfortunate.

Yahiko nods in answer, immediately eased by the swordsman's presence.  "Hai, Kenshin, daijoubu."  They both sit on the steps of the porch, angled towards each other.  "Thanks…those people were starting to suffocate me."  In fact, they'd suffocate just about anyone in his position; it's an uneasy thought.  Finally wringing his clothing to a semblance of dryness, he looks up, startled by the fierce, intense expression in Kenshin's eyes.  "Kenshin…."

"Kaoru-dono…how is she?  And the others?"  Interesting how they're lump-summed.

Yahiko nods.  "Kaoru's fine.  Well, at least she should be."  The admission causes visible tension to weave its way into Kenshin's taut musculature; his expression tightens into one of taut pain.  The boy feels compelled to continue, guilt ensnaring him for Kenshin's discomfort.  "She blames herself for the…accident."  Well, that's one euphemism for it, and it'll work for now.  "She thinks it's her fault you disappeared, and…well, when I was in the well, I kinda saw her.  She looked even worse."  _I made her even more upset…that's **my** fault._  Yahiko can't bring himself to meet Kenshin's eyes.  _I failed them both…Kenshin for not being strong enough to take care of Kaoru in his absence, and Kaoru for falling into the damn well when I should have known well enough to stay away from it._  Then again, he'd almost done them a service in that by falling in himself, he protected Kaoru, Sano, and Megumi from falling in as well.  However, this is the furthest thought from his mind.  Yahiko squeezes his eyes shut, tilting his head away from his idol.  "Gomen nasai, Kenshin."

He doesn't expect forgiveness, especially as quickly as it's given.  Kenshin folds Yahiko into his embrace; the warmth in his tone is an especially potent poultice for Yahiko's spiritual wounds.  "Even though she's upset…I'm glad to hear that Kaoru-dono's not hurt and is staying strong, de gozaru yo.  Thank you, Yahiko."

"A-ano, I wasn't able to do anything!  I was useless!"  As much as he loathes it, hot tears spill from Yahiko's burning, dry eyes, his young tone weakening with sorrow.  _I didn't do enough._

The candor of the father-son picture is overwhelming for Millie, who had also noted the redhead's absence and had scanned the crowd, silently following the two companions visually after spotting them.  It's tear-jerkingly touching to watch the two in consolation.  They obviously know each other and both hail from the same elusive location.  She sniffles quietly, wiping a joyful tear, deciding that the news of her discovery can wait while the two reunite and catch up with the odd events, perhaps even speculate together as to where they are in reference to their Tokyo home.  Kenshin's sorrow when Vash revealed the truth had been profound and almost tactile, it was so thick.  Perhaps this boy will be good for Kenshin's morale, cheering him up and providing him with a sense of rational purpose.

Vash had followed suit – and Millie's gaze – ever since the short swordsman caught his attention earlier.  Tears drip unchecked from his smooth, deceptively youthful, glowing complexion.  Neither spectator makes any effort to hide the sentimental gesture, nor do they strain to hear a private, comforting conversation.


	9. Alike

**Disclaimers:  **I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Trigun, nor do I own Himura Kenshin, Kamiya Kaoru, Myojin Yahiko, Sagara Sanosuke, Takani Megumi, the Akabeko, Tsubame, Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Vash the Stampede, Meryl Strife, Millie Thompson, or Tongari.  All I own is the authorglue used to bind these series together in my first crossover fic.  This fic is nonprofit, shared solely for the purpose of enjoyment.  I get nothing out of posting this except happiness to share with my reviewers and other fans.

**_Alike_**

"Ne, Kenshin, you really miss Kaoru, don't you?"  Part of Yahiko doesn't want to bring the subject up.  He doesn't want to tell Kenshin what the well revealed to him for fear that it may change their relationship.  His voice is quiet, guilty, and despite Kenshin's comforting words, Yahiko cannot yet forgive himself for his shortcomings:  falling into the well when he should have been more wary, not being able to protect Kaoru.  Only time will heal those wounds.  Out of the corner of his eye, Yahiko swears he can see Kenshin stiffen momentarily, frowning, but as soon as it registers, his expression returns to that of the innocent rurouni.

Kenshin nods.  "I do miss Kaoru-dono, Yahiko.  I missed Kaoru-dono, Sano, Megumi-dono, and you, Yahiko."  His sigh is barely audible, and if it wasn't for the pause, perhaps Yahiko would have missed it altogether.  "I don't know if we'll ever find a way back to Tokyo."  His shoulders sag slightly, but he keeps a watchful eye on the boy, aware that this information will hit hard in the tenderest of places.  They've both lost their home, family, and loved ones.  In some ways, they are very similar.

Yahiko gasps as the regretful and regretted words hit him with full impact in his chest, his eyes widening.  _No, it can't be!  That **can't** be true!  Kenshin, we gotta find a way back!_  The young samurai blinks back hot, youthful tears, tender memories of a delicate young Akabeko waitress intricately weaving their way into his downtrodden consciousness.  He swallows, closes his eyes for a moment, banishing his tears, then clears his throat, finally meeting Kenshin's violet gaze.  "Ne, Kenshin, why?  Why can't we go back?"

Again, Kenshin sighs, burdened by the heavy weight of the message.  "We don't know if it's possible.  I've been talking with several people since coming here, and all we know is that this place exists in the future separate from Tokyo."

"The future?!?  Kenshin, that's impossible!"

"Oro!"

"Kenshin, who's your little buddy here?"  Wolfwood smiles as the four approach after some time.  Kenshin sits gaping like a fish, staring dumbfounded at his young companion.  They seem to be at an impasse, with Kenshin at an utter loss for words befitting an explanation.  Kenshin blinks briefly, wincing in anticipation of Yahiko's bristling reaction, then smiles uneasily, glancing towards the wayward priest while making a sincere effort to keep one eye on Yahiko.  The young son of a samurai's teeth are clenched, fists balled, trembling in anger.

"Who're ya callin' little?"  With that, Yahiko, much to Kenshin's chagrin, climbs atop Wolfwood's head, perching precariously, gnawing indignantly.  Easily expected.  A total gut reaction.  Kenshin inwardly groans, closing his eyes.

Wolfwood just laughs, amused by the boy's antics, raising his hands.  "I rest my case."

Kenshin is the first to follow the priest's lead, chuckling mirthfully.  The motion eases the tension hovering over Vash and Meryl.  Vash smiles; soon, all five adults are laughing; Yahiko curls up on the step, glowering, his cheeks flaming.  The perfect poster boy for stubborn youth.  The comical moment brings brief but welcome respite from the current situation.  Eventually, even Yahiko gives up his grudge, succumbing to the contagious mirth.

"I know!"  Millie's eyes shine excitedly as she claps her hands together.  "This calls for a celebration!"  She virtually bounces with joy, looking among the astonished faces before her.

_Oh no you don't, Millie!  I remember the _last_ time you got drunk!_  Meryl frowns, folding her arms.  "Millie…."

"Come on, Meryl!  There's plenty to celebrate!"  Millie grins hopefully; much to Meryl's chagrin, so do Vash and Wolfwood.  Sold.  Meryl turns to the redheaded swordsman to find her last hopes thwarted.  Wide violet eyes stare back at her, unblinking, the picture of innocence, his lower jaw just slack enough to form an 'o' of surprise.  No help there.

Millie, recognizing her victory, giggles, grabbing Meryl and bounding up the remaining steps.  Meryl rolls her eyes, inwardly groaning as she hurries to follow, once again ready to serve as damage control.  When did she let her profession sneak into her personal life?  All the same, it looks like there will be young eyes present tonight; regardless of whether or not he'll be drinking, his presence leaves no room to excuse Millie's normally rambunctious, half-clothed, drunken sprits.  Wolfwood laughs heartily, throwing his head back, hands in his pockets.  "Well, what are we waiting for?"  He grins and heads inside, leaving Vash and Kenshin blinking in his wake.

"Oro…."  It's too much for Kenshin, matching Vash blink for blink.  Yahiko half expects Vash to express the very same sentiment.

The young samurai hops impatiently from foot to foot.  His gi and hakama are getting pretty cold, and they have no chance of drying out here due to the cool breezes carting the geyser's spray a generous distance.  _So?  Are we gonna stand outside forever?  Let's go!_  As he hurries up the steps, the other two follow, Kenshin to keep track of Yahiko, Vash to keep track of Kenshin.

The fun begins before Kenshin even steps foot into the saloon.  Millie has managed to procure a large, round table, and Wolfwood nurses a substantial bottle of amber liquid – undoubtedly Western alcohol – in his hand.  The redhead sighs inwardly as he surveys the bottle and the small, clear drinking vessels Wolfwood is now spreading around.  To his half-expected horror, there are six of these small vessels, including one for both Kenshin and Yahiko.  Wolfwood looks very comfortable around the alcohol; his role as a seasoned drunk suits him well.  It's an odd fact, given what little Kenshin knows about Western beliefs and practices.  Could he have been mistaken in thinking Western religions frowned on the use of alcoholic beverages, or is this man a wayward saint?  Wolfwood, feeling the swordsman's scrutinizing gaze, smiles warmly.  "Come on, Kenshin!  Why don't you and the kid join us?  It's only proper to welcome our new arrival, don't you think, Tongari?"  Despite his outward cheer, however, part of him is brooding inside.  _I can tell you don't approve, samurai, but there are circumstances you couldn't possibly understand.  Don't judge me by the cloth._

Vash smiles a cheerful, empty smile – all for show, Kenshin notes.  The man's eyes neither crease nor shine with true feeling.  Kenshin blinks then, dreading the inevitable glance up.  He sees her in everything, both living and inanimate.  For the life of him, he can't get Kaoru out of his mind, not for one moment.  As if he wants to.  _She always wanted to see me truly smile, one day.  Now…._  He blinks painfully.

Yahiko tenses, bristling with indignant rage, on the verge of reassuming his "perch."  "Who the hell are you callin a kid, ya lush?  I'm more of a man than you'll ever be!"

"Oro!"  Though Kenshin's outward reaction is heavily laden with rurouni goodness, inside, a small, faint portion of the pained guilt eases; he takes a deep breath, relaxing, taking the moment for all it's worth.  Meryl, disgusted that a grown man would actually exchange heated words with a boy who must be at least fifteen years younger than him (because she _knows_ it's about to happen), rolls her eyes and sighs.  She glances up sharply as she hears another faint sigh, though this one seems more in relief than frustration.  Her attentive eyes grant her a rather rare opportunity; for a brief moment, Kenshin lets his guard down.  _That poor man…he easily bears as much grief as Vash.  He must miss his home…and his family._  Despite the misjudgment, the introspect is quite true.

In an instant, it's gone.

Millie, slightly tipsy, ensures it won't happen again.  With a dopey, buzzing grin on her face, she slaps a hand down on Kenshin's shoulder.

"C'mon, red!  Come have a drink!  Mister Wolfwood's buying, aren't you?"

_Of course I am, so long as you keep drinking like that._  Meryl glares, though it's lost on the "priest," who's thinking he might just get lucky tonight.  The near-feral grin he sports assures that he's indeed on the prowl, looking for her friend's company.  And Millie is in no shape to deny him.  Wonderful.

"Oro!"  Kenshin falters, wanting to remain alert in this unusual land.  Now's not the time for self-indulgence, even of memories.  He blinks, raising his head, gently extricating himself from Millie's grasp, a slight blush tinging his cheeks.  Glancing to Yahiko, he meets a rather rabid glare, prompting yet another "Oro!"  _I'm in trouble!_  "T-thank you, but I think I'll pass."  He's half afraid Millie will fall, thinking she probably can't stand on her own at this point – and he's right – so he catches her, depositing her in Wolfwood's "capable" hands.  Much to the priest's delight.  Millie just giggles, dissolving into the man's lap, not exactly caring who it is, so long as the drinks keep coming.  Yet deep within her large brown eyes, Kenshin notes the deep, faint mark of sorrow.  _So sad…have you lost someone as well?_  Perhaps he's reading a bit too much into that one.  Alcohol depresses people's moods, or so Megumi says.  He's not sure he believes that one himself.  Yahiko growls a warning from atop Wolfwood's head, looking out for Kaoru, or so it seems; Kenshin's attention snaps back to the boy.  He scratches his head, laughing uneasily, muttering a brief apology.

"Stop callin me LITTLE!"  Yahiko's gotten fairly out of hand, beating mercilessly on the priest.  Millie has since stumbled off his lap, laughing so hard that even if she could walk straight, she probably wouldn't.

_Poor kid's got a complex._  "Relax, kid!  I meant nothing by it!  I was your age once.  You're too young to be an adult yet, so stop your whining and enjoy your childhood while it lasts.  Not everyone gets that luxury, you know."  By this point, Wolfwood's muttering on a somewhat bittersweet note, but it's quickly lost in annoyed protest.  Who the hell bites people, anyways?  "Hey!  Get offa me, wouldja?"  Yahiko gnaws with renewed vigor, much like a wild animal.  Wolfwood reaches up, prying Yahiko away with large hands that well resemble the jaws of life in their sheer strength and prying force.  It'd be hard to believe if Kenshin wasn't of similar build, only shorter.

Yet the more striking similarity is the one Kenshin sees plain as day in front of him.  With his alcoholic beverage in hand and smooth style, he looks like Sano, if just a bit older.  Their features and mannerisms are quite similar, right down to the way Wolfwood seems to be able to irk Yahiko to no end, even though he seems to like kids and understand them well.  Sometime, he'll have to ask the priest how that is; he senses that Yahiko is not the first misfit child Wolfwood's met.

Drawing out of his poignant musings, Kenshin raises both hands in a quiet, placating gesture.  "Maa, maa.  Yahiko, I'm sure Mr. Wolfwood means nothing by it."  He pauses briefly, internally wincing, waiting for a contrary reaction.  However, under these somewhat odd conditions, Yahiko takes Kenshin's word as law, displaying a rather rare moment of perfect obedience.  Needless to say, Kenshin's floored, even if, perhaps, it shouldn't shake him.  He clears his throat, continuing on with dual purpose.  Much to his chagrin, his voice comes out about an octave too high, his body still caught up in the surprise, but quickly settles.  "Don't you think our time and energy would be better spent thinking of a way to get back home to Tokyo?"  At this, Vash, Kenshin, and Yahiko all wince, Vash to hear the fragment from his past, and Yahiko and Kenshin for the painful reminder of their more or less desperate situation.  Noting this, the girls immediately frown, glancing at each other.  What can they do?  There's really not anything to be done, truthfully…at least nothing they can think of.  However, Wolfwood saves the moment, raising his bottle of alcohol, smiling brightly in a sincere attempt to lighten the mood.

"Red's right.  We ought to head back to the hotel.  We can just restart the party there, Millie, and Red can introduce us to his friend.  We can all discuss everything at home."

_Home?  Do they live in that hotel?  I thought they had made reservations…odd, that it is._  Kenshin raises a brow briefly, contemplating that.  It doesn't seem like a very comfortable way to live…but then again, he has lived under far less comfortable conditions during his wandering years.  At any rate, the hotel's private rooms are a better place to discuss things, and far safer for Millie.  Kenshin stands, noting that Vash, too, has slightly droopy lids…then retracts the statement as the gunman looks up, meeting the swordsman's glance with sharp eyes.  _Funny…I thought I was the only one that did that._  Does Vash play Kenshin's awareness games?

Kenshin's not given much time to ponder that; there's only brief silence as everyone stands, gathering themselves – and Millie – to leave.  Vash heads out as Meryl and Wolfwood are struggling – the latter with amusement – to arrange the drunken, effervescent girl between them, hoping to keep her steady enough on her feet with their support to bypass having to carry her.  Soon enough, Millie's giggling and stumbling her way down the street; Yahiko smirks, snickering evilly.  He glances up at his redheaded idol, somewhat cheered by the scene before them.  "Man, Kenshin, she's worse than Kaoru."

Kenshin smiles.  _Yes, perhaps she is.  But even then…._  Oro washes over his face; he pales slightly.  "Maa…even so, she's a little more predictable than Kaoru."

Of course, this only makes Yahiko laugh harder.  Tears of relief spring to Kenshin's face; his worry eases, glad to see Yahiko happy, even under these dire circumstances.  _Kaoru-dono, Yahiko-chan…we will return to Tokyo.  I'm sure of it._  The corners of Kenshin's mouth turn up in a genuinely hopeful smile; spirits renewed, he rests a gentle hand between Yahiko's relaxed shoulder blades, guiding him with quiet happiness down the steps of the saloon, back towards the hotel.  No words are exchanged.  None are needed.  After all, when the rurouni puts his mind to something, he cannot fail.

The dust has long since settled under a blanket of light mist from the geyser.  The dirty town seems refreshed, clean, invigorated under the crimson blanket of the setting sun.  Buildings show their original colors, no longer the omnipresent tan of the ground but subdued earth tones of varying hues decorated by small splashes of color conservatively applied here and there.  The fresh new look the water has brought has markedly lifted the townspeople's spirits.  Back at the hotel, people mill in the lobby, their faces clean, their cheeks rosy with happiness and spirits, bright smiles showing what a remarkable change one of the simplest facts of life, once deprived and now restored to them, can bring to tarnished hopes.  Kenshin pauses for a moment to bask in the mirthful scene before him, absorbing the uplifting spirit, a small smile slipping onto his lips, a twinkle dazzling his once saddened eyes.  He cannot help but think of Kaoru – undoubtedly, when he returns to her, she'll be as happy as these people and then some.  Yahiko, hesitating to break the broken man's happiness, finally tugs on Kenshin as the others completely disappear from view, even Millie, to whom the stairs are a hellish (but hilarious) chore.

"Come on, Kenshin.  Even that drunk is ahead of us!"

Kenshin chuckles, heading up the stairs to the familiar room, so sure Yahiko will follow that he doesn't bother to look back.  Worrying isn't necessary in the least; the younger man is following the redhead like an enthused puppy nipping at his heels.  Inside the room, Meryl is struggling to rest Millie into an overstuffed chair.  Millie apparently finds the act even more comical than Wolfwood, who's sprawled in another chair, laughing so hard he's doubled over.  Tears run down her pristine face, her eyes shining with such mirth that whatever had poisoned her (brandy) ought to be an illegal substance.  Even Vash, perched in the open window in his long, flowing redcoat, is smiling detachedly, enjoying the events in his own withdrawn manner.

Yahiko glances between Vash and Kenshin, blinking in disbelief.  _Whoa.  It's like I'm seeing double!_  He shivers involuntarily, taking up residence on the bed closest to the door, amazed that these people can afford Western-style hotels.  _Then again,  Kenshin said this isn't like home.  Maybe – naah._  He shakes it off just as Kenshin sits on his bed across from the young samurai.

"They're not usually like this."  Kenshin smiles apologetically.  The gesture's appreciated, even if totally unnecessary.  Anyone Kenshin considers friends are good enough for Yahiko.  Even if one's drunk.  Kenshin proceeds to go around the room, naming each one.  Kenshin's double, the man in the five-petaled red longcoat, is Vash the Stampede.  The drunk is Millie Thompson, and the pissed off girl trying to help her sit is Meryl Strife, Millie's best friend and business partner.  The guy who's laughing too loud (he's probably had one too many himself) and eyeing Millie in ways that _should_ make the girl blush (if only she could see it) is Nicholas D. Wolfwood.  He grins at the boy, waving the bottle that had somehow managed to make its way home with the priest.  Yahiko rolls his eyes; Kenshin can't help but chuckle.  _Just as he regards Sano._

He clears his throat.  "Minna…."  He gives Meryl a moment to settle Millie into the chair with the finality afforded her unladylike threats, paling slightly to think that such a small woman can have such vulgar, violent thoughts.  It does, however, remind him of a slightly more innocent shihondai.  Vash remains at the window, calm, yet keeping his senses piqued, not tense, but listening intently.  It seems to be something Kenshin can count on, Vash's steady attention, despite his outward nonchalance.  If it was Tokyo, he'd have assumed Vash to be a survivor of the Revolution.  Perhaps here he's had one of his own.  As Wolfwood drowns the last traces of laughter in amber alcohol, Kenshin continues, finally having gained everyone's attention.  He smiles, gesturing to his companion.

"Minna, my friend here is Myojin Yahiko.  He, too, is from Tokyo."

The room is dead silent as Yahiko nods, starting in with his questions.  "Kenshin, Kaoru said you disappeared down the well.  I didn't really believe her…until the same thing happened to me."

"Yahiko!"  Kenshin gasps, astonished.

Yahiko bows his head in shame, nodding.  "Sumanu, Kenshin.  I…I should have believed her.  I tried to protect her.  I should have listened to what she said, but it just seemed so…outrageous!  Wells don't just suck people up into other worlds!"

As Yahiko chokes on blazing tears, Kenshin stands, moving to the boy's side.  As he puts a strong arm around Yahiko's shoulders, he adds verbal comfort.  "Maa, maa, Yahiko.  I wouldn't have believed it myself.  It is a strange well, that it is."  He pauses to swallow a lump in his own throat, then continues, his voice somewhat softer, slightly hoarse with discomfort.  "I thank you for protecting Kaoru.  You didn't fail her, even when the well took you.  After all, because you fell in, the well couldn't take Kaoru."

On the surface, it's comforting, but it leaves lingering doubt in both swordsmen.  Yahiko voices the obvious objection in trembling tones laced with doubt.  "Ano, Kenshin…what happens next?  What if…what if there's no one there to protect her?  What if she falls into the well next?"

Kenshin lowers his gaze in practiced precision, his face shadowed by blazing red bangs.  His voice, too, is quiet, doubtful.  "I don't know, Yahiko.  Until we get back, we can only hope that Sano and Megumi-dono will protect her."  _For now, that will have to be enough._  "We'll have to do our best to get back to Tokyo as soon as possible."  Yahiko nods in hushed agreement.

"Ne, Kenshin…" Yahiko falters, unsure if he should bring up his next question, though he's dying to know if what the well showed him was the truth, wanting to figure this whole phenomena out and get back to Kaoru before something happens to her.  Kenshin looks up, his face tilting just enough for the young samurai to glimpse the calm radiating for his benefit.  It's enough for the boy to continue bravely.  "When the well took you, did it…did it suck you up?  Where did you go?"

"The well was fast, de gozaru."  Kenshin points to a rope settled unceremoniously in the corner; Yahiko's eyes bulge, immediately recognizing the bucket on the end as being from the well.  "The rope pulled, and I fell into the well.  I landed on the sand and ran into Vash soon afterwards."  He smiles in recollection of the literal event.  Vash unconsciously rubs the receding red mark, the memory still vivid in his mind.  More like he ran into Kenshin's sword….

"So _that's_ why we couldn't find the bucket!  Kenshin, after you disappeared, we couldn't see the bucket…it was like it vanished from the well too.  And what's even weirder is we couldn't even see the water.  It was like the well was completely empty, although it shoulda been full!"

Kenshin blinks, absorbing this information.  "That's odd, de gozaru."

That's all the rurouni has to offer right then.  He closes himself off from the others, his mind once more drawn to Kaoru.  The room falls into hushed contemplation as darkness settles over the sky outside, dotted with brilliant white stars.  The few townspeople still milling about outside begin drifting towards their residences, ready to withdraw into their private lives and welcome sleep.  Millie's the first to speak, blinking.  "Maybe…."  She shakes her head, rethinking her position.  The entire situation is quite peculiar, but there's still hope.  After all, her father always says everything happens for a reason, and if you look hard enough, you'll find your explanation.  "What about the underground spring?  What if that well's not the only place that leads to another world?"  What if there's more?

The impact of Millie's profound question is sobering in its heavy contemplation-inductive power; the room falls silent again as everyone begins to question the events surrounding the well and the geyser.  "Millie's right.  There must be a common factor.  All we have to do is find it."  Meryl leans against the wall, one knee lifted, hands behind her back, staring at the floor as she voices her musings aloud.

Millie smiles, standing somewhat precariously, gripping a nearby desk for support.  "I think what we all need is a nice hot bath and some rest.  If we all think about it tonight and discuss it tomorrow, we'll find that common factor!"  There's so much conviction in Millie's voice that the others can't help but believe her.  With introductions out of the way and a firm plan for resolution at hand, the room's six occupants disband for the night for hot baths and some well-deserved rest.  Kenshin, clean and warm in freshly laundered blankets, drifts off into the world of his subconscious, a world where Kaoru meets him in spirited splendor.  His heart longs painfully to see her again, and his mind is more than willing to offer consolation.

_"Maa, maa, Kaoru-dono.  I thought that was my job, de gozaru."  Kenshin smiles warmly, elated to finally be home.  He speaks in a hushed whisper, not yet trusting his voice to be capable of handling such bottled up emotions._

_Kaoru looks up from the laundry in disbelief, tears stinging in her eyes.  _I miss Kenshin so much that I can hear him now, telling me that the laundry is his chore._  She lifts a soapy hand to her apron, wiping it clean before dragging her hand across her wet eyes.  As she returns her attention to the water, it reflects Kenshin's delighted face.  He leans down, tenderly resting his hands underneath her elbows, grasping them, supporting her as he coaxes her to stand.  Kaoru's suddenly faced with lightheaded joy, but she's going to do everything in her power not to faint.  Not now.  Not when Kenshin's finally home._

_"K-Kenshin!  You're home!"  Without thinking, she flings her arms around his neck, burying her head into the hollow at his strong, trembling shoulder, her tears overpowering her, spilling to her own trembling shoulders.  Kenshin pulls her in tighter to himself, lowering his head to rest atop hers, breathing deeply of her light jasmine scent._

_"Gomen nasai, Kaoru-dono.  I am sorry to have worried you for so long."  He swallows, hugging her tightly.  "Tadaima, de gozaru yo."_

_Kaoru sobs happily, the sound somewhat halted between pure bliss and the sorrow of having been separated from him for so long.  She clings to her love for dear life.  "O-okaeri, Kenshin.  I'm so glad…I never thought I'd see you again!"_

_Kenshin leans down to her ear, lifting one hand briefly to tuck back her inky black hair, whispering with long-forgotten resolution and uncontrolled emotion.  "I would never have let that happen, Kaoru.  Never.  Not even death can keep me from you."  He breathes a quick sigh, barely resisting the urge to touch his lips to her skin._

_Kaoru, shocked, pulls back from him, holding herself at arm's length, staring in disbelief at him.  Her cheeks flush prettily, excited by the very thought of the powerful emotion behind his words.  Kenshin's warm smile and fiery, earnest gaze is enough confirmation for her; her elated sobs renew themselves as she returns to his coveted embrace, whispering a sentiment that needs no words.  No more will they hide their feelings.  There's no longer any need.  It's such a wonderful feeling!  Kenshin touches his lips to the top of her head lovingly; she lifts her head, losing herself in the depths of his exotic violet eyes._

Far away, a young shihondai's breathing slows from its labored, grieving pace to one of peace, albeit fleeting.  For one moment, she is connected with her rurouni.  For one moment, they share a message of undying love, and within the dream, they are content, truly happy for the first time.


	10. Perchance to Dream

**Disclaimers:  **I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor do I own Kamiya Kaoru, Takani Megumi, Sagara Sanosuke, Himura Kenshin, Myojin Yahiko, or Dr. Gensai.  All I own is the authorglue used to bind these series together in my first crossover fic.  This fic is nonprofit, shared solely for the purpose of enjoyment.  I get nothing out of posting this except happiness to share with my reviewers and other fans.

**_Perchance to Dream_**

_"Where else can a well go?"_

The nigh-prophetic words haunt Kaoru as she drags her feet back to her bedroom, coaxed along by Megumi on one side of her and Sano on the other in a rare moment of agreement between the two.  As pale as Kaoru is, now's not the time to argue.  Rather, it's time to get Kaoru to bed with hot herbal tea to ease her pain and aid her to rest.  As they lower Kaoru onto her futon, Megumi begins fussing over her, giving Sano quiet orders for a washcloth, which ought to give Kaoru enough time to change into her yukata.  Soon, with Megumi's gentle administrations, Kaoru drifts into a deep, hesitative slumber, one that will prove to be quite therapeutic for her, if a bit painful in waking.

_"Maa, maa, Kaoru-dono.  I thought that was my job, de gozaru."  Kenshin smiles warmly, elated to finally be home.  He speaks in a hushed whisper, not yet trusting his voice to be capable of handling such bottled up emotions._

_Kaoru looks up from the laundry in disbelief, tears stinging in her eyes.  _I miss Kenshin so much that I can hear him now, telling me that the laundry is his chore._  She lifts a soapy hand to her apron, wiping it clean before dragging her hand across her wet eyes.  As she returns her attention to the water, it reflects Kenshin's delighted face.  He leans down, tenderly resting his hands underneath her elbows, grasping them, supporting her as he coaxes her to stand.  Kaoru's suddenly faced with lightheaded joy, but she's going to do everything in her power not to faint.  Not now.  Not when Kenshin's finally home._

_"K-Kenshin!  You're home!"  Without thinking, she flings her arms around his neck, burying her head into the hollow at his strong, trembling shoulder, her tears overpowering her, spilling to her own trembling shoulders.  Kenshin pulls her in tighter to himself, lowering his head to rest atop hers, breathing deeply of her light jasmine scent._

_"Gomen nasai, Kaoru-dono.  I am sorry to have worried you for so long."  He swallows, hugging her tightly.  "Tadaima, de gozaru yo."_

_Kaoru sobs happily, the sound somewhat halted between pure bliss and the sorrow of having been separated from him for so long.  She clings to her love for dear life.  "O-okaeri, Kenshin.  I'm so glad…I never thought I'd see you again!"_

_Kenshin leans down to her ear, lifting one hand briefly to tuck back her inky black hair, whispering with long-forgotten resolution and uncontrolled emotion.  "I would never have let that happen, Kaoru.  Never.  Not even death can keep me from you."  He breathes a quick sigh, barely resisting the urge to touch his lips to her skin._

_Kaoru, shocked, pulls back from him, holding herself at arm's length, staring in disbelief at him.  Her cheeks flush prettily, excited by the very thought of the powerful emotion behind his words.  Kenshin's warm smile and fiery, earnest gaze is enough confirmation for her; her elated sobs renew themselves as she returns to his coveted embrace, whispering a sentiment that needs no words.  No more will they hide their feelings.  There's no longer any need.  It's such a wonderful feeling!  Kenshin touches his lips to the top of her head lovingly; she lifts her head, losing herself in the depths of his exotic violet eyes._

Megumi blinks, lifting the compress off Kaoru's forehead, noting that color has been completely restored to Kaoru's cheeks – and thensome.  _Is she…blushing?  Tanuki, what are you dreaming about?_  Although, given the depth of Kaoru's blush, she has quite a good idea.  The young shihondai's breathing slows from its labored, grieving pace to one of peace, albeit fleeting.  For one moment, she is connected with her rurouni.  For one moment, they share a message of undying love, and within the dream, they are content, truly happy for the first time.

As heartbreaking as the thought should be to Megumi, she smiles.  She's glad to see Kaoru smile, even if only in a dream that will dissipate upon waking.  She slides the shoji to Kaoru's room shut softly – and nearly jumps to see Sano outside, waiting on her.

"Ne, kitsune, think we oughtta stay here tonight?"  Sano's grin is somewhat lecherous; it's as good as any way he could think of to lighten the somber mood, which, in his opinion, is necessary right now.  He doesn't expect her to stay with _him_, and isn't surprised to see her hand approaching his face with adequate speed at the unspoken implication.  Sidestepping, he chuckles.  "Oi, I was just kidding.  Sheesh…lighten up, will ya?"

_Now's hardly the time, Sano…but you're right.  We need to get some rest if we're going to solve this problem tomorrow.  It can't wait any longer…but it must.  It must wait until we're rested.  _Megumi rolls her eyes, heading into a spare room, shutting the door as a firm answer to his question before lying on the futon.  _Tomorrow morning, I'll cook breakfast in Ken-san's stead.  After we're refreshed and our stomachs are full, we'll find them._  It's as good a plan as any; all three of the remaining Kenshin-gumi stay at the dojo that night, resting under the watchful light of the moon.

Scant hours later, the luminescent globe relinquishes its watch.  Kaoru sits up slowly, her sorrow as thick as the irony of the dream she and Kenshin unknowingly shared despite the distance of worlds.  Large, hot tears streak down her face, blazing new paths upon her fresh skin; Kaoru plants one hand behind her, resting her face in the palm of the other.  It's early, and with that reasoning, she indulges herself in her sorrow, letting it consume her, flow through her tears and out to dissipate in the far reaches of the room.  _Kenshin…there is nothing I want more than to see you again.  I must find you, just as I did in Kyoto.  I can't stand it here alone.  _By the time she smells breakfast cooking, she's feeling a bit better, more composed, ready to face the challenges that lie ahead.  She stands, dressing comfortably, conservatively.

After all, they should all be ready for anything today.

She passes Sano, who is apparently waking from a night of sleep in the hallway.  Funny, it was usually Kenshin who did that.  One corner of her mouth twitches upwards, enjoying that thought in more than one complex way.  She heads into the kitchen, breathing deeply of the delicious smells of breakfast cooking.  "Ohayo, Megumi-san."  Megumi turns, smiling a warm smile.  A little breakfast will be good for all of them; it's better and easier to think on a full stomach than on one that's empty.

Silence chases on the heels of breakfast's end as Kaoru, Megumi, and Sanosuke sit across from each other, each restricted to inner musings.  Kenshin and Yahiko have fallen down a well and disappeared, perhaps forever.  Their only chance is to figure out what happened, where they went, and how to get them back.  There must be a way.  After all, for every action, there must be a reaction.  There must be a way back.  Kaoru blinks, nodding.  This must be true.  _But sitting here staring at each other won't do anything to help them!_

"Mou!  Kenshin and Yahiko are gone.  We have to find a way to get them back!  Megumi –"

"It's not possible."  Megumi lifts her head, interrupting Kaoru.  "A well is a nonliving object.  It's inanimate.  There's no way an inanimate object can come to life."

Kaoru looks up, dazed, and nods.  "It's just stone.  Stone is not alive.  It can't possibly live."  All three nod to this, reaching their first agreement.

"So if it wasn't the well…could Kenshin and Yahiko have been pushed?"  _I'm going out on a limb here, but we must try all possibilities._  One corner of her mouth skews up wryly; this is obviously impossible, but it will get them thinking of other, more realistic possibilities.  A journey, after all, begins with a single step.

"I was the only one who saw Kenshin fall in.  There was no one else around…no one could have pushed him.  And we all saw Yahiko…none of us pushed him."  Megumi and Sano nod nearly in unison; that much is true.  Neither was pushed.  There wasn't anyone around to do it, and they certainly didn't either.

"Ken-san is not a clumsy man.  He wouldn't have lost his footing."  Megumi shakes her head.

Kaoru picks this up with morbid enthusiasm.  "And Yahiko…he'd been holding on to the edge of the well when he looked in.  Neither of them slipped."

_Yeah, maybe not…but what if it was slippery?  Could they have fallen in and we just didn't know it?  _Sano looks up suddenly.  "What about the weather?"

"What about it, Rooster?"  _Nice try, but that's not it either._  Megumi sighs inwardly, drawing on her vast patience to stick this out.  _If I had been able to figure this out on my own, Ken-san would be home now.  Yahiko would never have fallen in.  But that's _not_ true.  I need your help!_

"No."  Kaoru shakes her head, looking up, as if the sky would suddenly appear through the roof.  "There haven't been any storms lately.  There haven't even been any clouds in the sky."

"When a person breathes, he sucks air into his lungs.  Maybe the well drew Ken-san and Yahiko-chan in…like a person breathes.  A vacuum, they call it.  The air is sucked in…why can't a person be sucked in as well?  What about that?"

All three decide this answer is possible, though it still resembles a living object too much.  The well, they have decided, is not alive.  That's impossible.  So breathing isn't exactly the most appropriate explanation. However, being a doctor, this is the only explanation for a vacuum, a relatively technical thing, that Megumi can think of.  It's a possibility, but how probable is it?  Other than observed in medical practice, Megumi knows nothing of the conditions necessary for a vacuum, and medical conditions won't fit a nonliving thing.

The well's water level has remained constant up until the initial incident.  There was no water for the second incident, so it could have built up in the absence of the water, but where did the water go?  So many questions, and so few answers.  The conditions are not constant for both situations, so a vacuum doesn't really seem to fit.  Also, the ground remained level before and after both instances, and the well only took one person at a time.  But a vacuum isn't selective.  It's just not possible.

"What about…" Kaoru toys with her chopsticks, considering how to proceed.  "What if they _traveled_ through the well?  When we look at mountains, they appear to us as being sloped, slanted.  But when one begins to climb a mountain, the slope is lessened until it is flat enough for one to walk.  What if…what if the well is like a mountain path?  What if Kenshin and Yahiko were drawn in…and were carried or traveled along the path, searching for the end, for us?"

Megumi and Sano blink.  "Jeez, Jou-chan, that's deep."  Very deep indeed.  Megumi blinks back tears; it almost sounds like something her beloved Ken-san would say.  Obviously, his wisdom has rubbed off on the little tanuki.  She wipes an errant tear, nodding her head in resignation.

"Perhaps that's true.  Perhaps.  I just hope Ken-san's all right."

Kaoru stands, firm resolution on her face.  "There's only one way to find out."

Sano looks up at her.  "You mean…?"

Kaoru nods; Megumi and Sano stand with her, the answer clear to them as well.  "We'll have to go in.  There's no other way."  Kaoru's voice is quiet, but firm; she's not afraid of the consequences of the decision.  It's the only way to learn what happened to Kenshin and Yahiko, where they are, and the only possible chance they have to rescue him.  It's her only chance of ever seeing Kenshin again.

"What if we can't get back?"  Megumi glances at the other two.  _Are you willing to take that risk?  You may never be able to come back to Tokyo.  Am _I_ ready…_can_ I take such a large risk?_

"Then I'd rather be with Kenshin…than here."  _My life is nothing without him.  If I must live, I want to live with him.  I must go to him, to Yahiko.  They are my family._

"Hell, why not, fox?  Why not go?"  _The only people that'll care whether I go or stay are here…or down that well.  I don't have a job.  What's to stop me?  Or Kaoru?  But Megumi…._

"That's really easy for you to say, Rooster!  You have no responsibilities here!"_  I have an obligation to the clinic…to my patients…to Dr. Gensai.  I can't just walk off and leave the entire patient load to him!  I am his apprentice!_  Megumi's unspoken objection is written plainly on her face.  She has duties that cannot be performed by just anyone.  Her skills are needed at the clinic.

"Megumi, if you don't want to go, I'm sure we'll all understand.  You have your patients to tend to."

But the thought of Kaoru and Sano going to save Kenshin without her is a bit much for Megumi…this time.  Setting her jaw, she shakes her head, inky black hair spilling over her shoulders in an equal measure of stubborn nature.  "No.  I will come with you.  What's most important is finding Ken-san and Yahiko-chan right now."  _They may be injured from falling into the well.  They are patients too.  My patients at the clinic can wait.  Dr. Gensai will understand.  It is my duty to go and look after them.  And there must be a way back, as there is no such thing as a one-way road.  We will walk where Ken-san and Yahiko-chan have walked in order to find them and bring them back to Tokyo._

With the finality of those words, the decision is made; the remaining Kenshin gumi stand.  Intent on learning its mystery, and returning with their friends, Sano, Megumi, and Kaoru approach the well.  Without hesitation, they rest their hands on the well, asking forgiveness and saying silent farewells to all attachments they have to their Tokyo lives…just in case they don't come back.  As they lean inwards to look down into the unfathomable depths, there is just one thing on their minds.  _Please tell us…please show us the path to Kenshin and Yahiko.  Help us solve this mystery; give us the answers.  Help us save them._  With that, the well takes them in.


	11. The Smell of Blood

**AN:**  Starting with this chapter (after this note, that is), I'm relocating all of my author's notes to _Pacifist by Nature_'s new website, which can be located at .  All information concerning this decision, along with the unadulterated notes, can be found at this address.  The site's well worth the visit; the visual goodies I've uploaded so far (merely a promise of things yet to come) are worth it.

Of course, I feel obligated to keep my disclaimers.  From now on, though, those will be tailored to the chapters and not the overall fic.  My overall, all-encompassing disclaimers will be on the website.

**Disclaimers:  **I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Inuyasha.  Along the same lines, neither do I own Sagara Sanosuke, Takani Megumi, Kamiya Kaoru, Himura Kenshin, Sano's futae no kiwami, or Inuyasha.  All I own is the authorglue used to bind these series together in my first crossover fic.  This fic is nonprofit, shared solely for the purpose of enjoyment.  I get nothing out of posting this except happiness to share with my reviewers and other fans.

**_The Smell of Blood_**

Anachronistic, reshuffled snippets of moments not long past echo throughout the well as it sorts out its passengers in human fashion.  Before Sano and Megumi can move, Kaoru vanishes with a gasp into the well's velvet oblivion.  Sano shoots a hopeful hand out into the dark, murky depths surrounding them, entertaining the fleeting hope of rescuing her and keeping her safe from harm in Kenshin's stead.  However, his attempts reach nothing but air, marking the effort a failure.  Frustrated, he slams his fist into the side of the well.  The sickening, sinewy crack is all too familiar; Sano draws in a sharp, pained breath, his fist trailing ribbons of fresh blood as he draws it towards his chest.  Megumi's alarmed remonstrations, however, are drowned out as the slight delay of the unintended futae no kiwami obliterates the side of the well, raining rubble down upon them.

Sano roars surprised obscenities, drawing Megumi close with his uninjured hand to protect her from the projectile debris.  Shocked as she is, Megumi covers his large wounded hand with her smaller porcelain two, offering no protest.  She bows her head, drawing his hand to her chest in a similar measure of protection.  Squeezing his eyes shut, he rests his head atop hers.  The romantic possibilities of the moment are not lost on him; he pulls her closer as she curls up against his chest, making it difficult for him to banish wayward thoughts from his mind despite unsuitable timing.

Generous, frigid water floods into the tall, narrow space, soothing the battery of stone fragments in minor relief.  Sano and Megumi begin to shiver in the heavy influx, instantly drenched.  The tense couple drops into the gathering pool below them, quickly sinking into a blinding upward rush of bubbles noisily competing for the surface.  A hasty exchange forces Sano and Megumi down while the bubbles offer silken caresses, squeezing up to the surface to break free into the atmosphere.  

Megumi smirks, the bubbles giving her a blatant opportunity to tease Sano.  She delivers a dry statement to underscore her amusement.  "So _this _is what you see when you're drunk, ne Rooster-head?"  It's all she can do to swallow her flirtatiously malicious chuckle.

Sano glares down at her, using his good hand to pry her gently off his chest, guiding her shoulder away from his to hold her at arm's length.  "Shut up, Fox.  Now's not the time."  He motions to the water surrounding them with his injured hand, fingers lax.

_We're sinking.  _Megumi gasps, panicking.  "I'm going to drown with a stupid Rooster!"  She struggles to free herself from Sano, not pausing to wonder why she hasn't choked yet.

"Relax, Fox.  If we were gonna die, we'd have done it already."  Sano smirks, wrapped in his own self-confidence.

For once, the Rooster is the voice of reason.  Megumi pauses, holding her breath as if to challenge that theory, then visibly relaxes, eased by the odd truth.  Somehow, they _are _breathing normally, despite being submerged in frigid water.  They don't seem to be in any immediate danger of suffocation as they continue to float downwards leisurely.  The well deposits them on terra firma as their surroundings vanish in a total blackout.  Alarmed, Megumi lunges forward, reaching for Sano.  Upon contact, she fists her hands in his happi and slumps against him, frightened.  Sano can feel her tremble, her heart thundering superficially in her chest.  In a comforting gesture, he drapes his good arm around her shoulders modestly, his firm, strong grip sufficiently putting her at ease once more.  All is silent, leaving the duo tense, Megumi from fear, Sano from the throbbing pain in his knuckles.

The blackout lifts its inky curtain to reveal an abrupt change of scenery.  Sano stares at his badly broken hand, his surroundings registering sluggishly in his pain-laced awareness.  His eyes are locked on his thick lifeblood as it navigates the deep, throbbing wound, leaving telltale trails of pain.  Eventually the greater curiosity beyond his own body registers as quite out of the ordinary within his injury-sated mind.  Sano glances down at Megumi once before following her gaze upwards, where birds chirp amicably, soaring in a vivid blue cloudless sky overhead.  Their song is heraldry of peace and tranquility, properly introducing the lavish green sights and scents of long-forgotten nature.  

It's obvious they're no longer by the Kamiya dojo in Tokyo due to the inherent lack of civilization and overabundance of thriving flora, but the biggest surprise of all is best noted by Megumi's appreciative gasp.  "It's dry!"

The realization rings sharp in Sano's mind, returning him back to alert consciousness.  Tearing his gaze away from the new world above, he looks around the shadowy well for any signs of the water they'd left so abruptly, worried about a sudden deluge that could leave them hurt…or worse.  Finding none, Sano murmurs in amazement, "One helluva drought…."

The water is gone, along with any signs that Tokyo ever existed.  Sano helps Megumi to her feet, noting that her attentions are once again elsewhere; she's searching for a way out of the well.  Coming upon a particularly nasty discovery, she jumps toward Sano, pointing to a shadowy corner.  He pauses, his fists tightening, anticipating trouble as his eyes adjust to the darkness.  As their surroundings gain shape amongst the deeper shadows, revealing the cause for her alarm, he releases her, succumbing to rich laughter.  As he stumbles over to the corner in question, kicking at a heap to fragment and scatter its component pieces.

"I can't believe it!  Takani Megumi, the _doctor_, is afraid of a pile of old bones!"

Sano picks up a generous bone sliver and flings it at her mischievously.  The fact that she cringes at the motion and shrinks away from the bone only serves to heighten his hilarity.  As Sano dissolves into incoherent, laughing babble, Megumi pouts, glaring, and picks up the bone to inspect it closer, eyes narrowing as she scrutinizes a suspicious section.  _They're…**not human!**_  She gasps, flinging the wretched evidence away from her – directly at Sano.  His laughter echoes off the four sides of the well, heightened by the gesture.  Megumi sighs, quite rattled, and reaches for Sano's forgotten, blood-soaked hand.

"You stupid oaf!  Look at your hand!  How can you laugh like this when you could go into shock at any second?"  Glaring, she seizes his hand and yanks it towards her, dragging him in tow.  He stumbles over the mound of bones in an act of divine retribution, landing on his knees before her, the dry, soft dirt at the bottom of the well marking his white pants.  Prying his fingers loose from the fist he'd made first in her defense and then further tightened in his amusement, Megumi smirks, covertly admiring the image of penitence before her from beneath long black lashes.  _Going to beg for forgiveness now, you silly rooster?  Make it good and I just might accept._

She runs her fingers absently over his soggy knuckles, eliciting a roar of anguished pain as he yanks his hand away.  "Shit, Fox, that hurts like hell!"  He cradles his aching fist, focusing on the crimson stain spreading through white fabric with a clenched jaw, grappling for self-control.

"Sorry," Megumi mutters, reaching with a softer, more mindful touch to reclaim his hand, hiding beneath her lashes as an embarrassed blush stains her cheeks.  She hadn't intended to hurt him.  However, at least now she has his attention.  Now she can discuss the abnormalities in the bones.  "Sano," her voice is hushed, conveying the gravity of the situation.  Sano looks up, frowning.  Megumi turns her palm up towards him, revealing the bone.  With shaking hands she gives him the bone remnant and continues with the assertion of her uneasy conviction.  "These bones are like nothing I've seen before.  They don't even look…_human_."  The apprehensive declaration bounces off the sides of the well, warped reality lifting the disembodied words in hushed whispers to rip through the tranquility above.

… Δ …

The moment Sano and Megumi's disturbance reaches the new land, a feral, golden-eyed spectator stops, probing the disruption for answers.  Nearby, several new friends cautiously approach this proverbial drawn sword.  They cautiously question his tense state of being, but it's difficult to ascertain either affirmation or denial of his sanity by his impartial scowl.  His thumb flicks the catch on the hilt of his sword, releasing the oddly unique blade from the scabbard.  Those around him exchange knowing glances, frowning with concern.  This most likely won't end well.

The lethally sharp weapon glints treacherously in the sun, an unvoiced warning perfectly matching its wielder.  With a snarl and narrowed amber eyes, the hunter stalks off alone, pursuing his prey.

… Δ …

Sano and Megumi, rendered speechless by the simple, ghastly truth in the oddly shaped bone now nestled in his hand, stare agape until Sano finally finds suitable words for the grim occasion.  "We gotta get outta here.  _Now._  C'mon, Fox."  Not about to wait for her reply, he seizes Megumi by the waist, careful to keep his blood-soaked hand away from her pristine medical smock.  "No tellin' when this well will fill back up…or when somethin' will come back for those bones."

A chill independent of Megumi's damp garments racks her spine.  She shivers, offering no hesitation until Sano grabs one of the vines leading out of the well.  She's aware that her objection will hardly be more pleasant than the thought of whatever licked those bones clean, but she's a doctor first and foremost.  Her duty to her patient and his injury must sometimes override her will to live.  Having almost justified her thoughts, she sighs in an obstinate huff, attempting to make the protest believable.  "Stupid Rooster, you're going to make your injury worse!"

Sano answers her lackluster offerance with a more chilling option.  "You wanna stay down here instead and greet the damn thing?"

Silence.

"Didn't think so."  He smirks, taking to the vines with characteristic dexterity.

"Still…" she trails off, hesitant to let him risk further injury but aware she can't make the climb on her own, "You shouldn't…."

"I'm halfway up, Fox, and I'm not even usin' it."  He flexes his fingers to illustrate, humbled by the disorientating, agonizing heat accompanying the demonstration.  Megumi rolls her eyes, once again safeguarding his injured hand.  Interpreting the movement as quiet surrender, Sano completes the climb effortlessly.  As they climb out of the well, both blink, willfully absorbing the magnificence before them.

The well is nestled on the crest of a gradual hill, the cozy clearing flanked closely on three sides by a wild forest.  The woodland's boundaries open out onto a magnanimous panoramic landscape of fertile plains dotted sparsely with trees and smaller shrubs, distant, monolithic mountains dotting the horizon.  The verdance is unbroken, untouched by humankind save for the small wooden well, now dry and overgrown with shrubs and vines, and an understated grassy path navigating through the sole break in the forest.

Megumi kneels beside the well, resting one hand on its wooden lip, motioning with the other for Sano to join her.  After a moment dutifully spent ensuring they are in no immediate danger, Sano settles beside her, reluctantly offering his hand forth for treatment.  The doctor carefully peels away layer upon layer of soggy, blood-soaked bandages with ill-concealed disdain.  "Sano, your hand will never heal if you keep reinjuring it like this.  You need to take care of it."  Her voice is a quiet hum, singing a respectful harmony to the natural melody surrounding them. 

… Δ …

In the outskirts of the forest, discord's lips curl back in a low, inhuman growl, the excited gleam of amber eyes perfectly contrasting the misleadingly tranquil, blanketed darkness of the lush forest.

_The smell is strong here.  _"Chi…."


	12. We're When? Surprises!

Reminder:  visit the _Pacifist _website (ff.net will not allow me to type text to link here) for translations and author's notes -- and now for character bios as well!

Disclaimers:  I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Inuyasha.  Along the same lines, neither do I own Higurashi Kagome, Inuyasha, Takani Megumi, Sagara Sanosuke, Kamiya Kaoru, Goshinboku, Himura Kenshin, Hitokiri Battousai, Tetsusaiga, Kagome's grandfather, Kagome's mother, Higurashi Souta, Myojin Yahiko, or the Kamiya dojo.  All I own is the authorglue used to bind these series together in my first crossover fic.  This fic is nonprofit, shared solely for the purpose of enjoyment.  I get nothing out of posting this except happiness to share with my reviewers and other fans.

****

**_We're When?  Surprises!_**

The fur of the fire rat billows in the swift breeze as an immature hanyou predator seeks out Sengoku Jidai's newest disturbance.  Kagome is scheduled to return soon from her time for another round of shard searching, but this disruption isn't part of the plan, and that has him alarmed.  The full-bodied, coppery scent of maladie wafts generously on the breeze born of swiftness, shamelessly assaulting Inuyasha's senses, nearly making him gag.  Has someone hurt Kagome?  Or worse…could someone have _killed_ Kagome?  Inuyasha's lips peel back to bare white fangs in a nervous rumble, anger boiling deep within, tempered only by his dread.  If someone has harmed or manipulated Kagome in any way, they will come to regret it.  That overpowering thought in mind, he speeds from treetop to treetop, alighting briefly upon lofty perches only to launch into the air again, inhuman white hair streaking behind him of its own accord in a wind-whipping gale.

_Kagome…if you're hurt…._  He swallows the unpleasant thought, refusing to finish it.  Instead, he humors the endless possibilities of retribution while training his senses on the thick, tangy-sweet smell of blood ahead.  He can taste it wafting in corpulent crimson ribbons with decidedly canine sensation.  Pausing, he holds perfectly still.  _It's moving._  A low growl, entirely automatic, escapes his notice.  The rumble is comforting enough for him to cling to his fleeting traces of sanity, even though instinct wishes otherwise.  _It's moving in **this direction**!_  Inuyasha silently drops down onto a tree branch, disappearing from mortal view to observe more freely.

… Δ …

_This place…it's beautiful, but there's so much uncertainty that I simply can't enjoy it.  Where are we now?  Are we safe here?  And…._  Megumi's mind rambles on, rolling over endless inevitabilities she'd rather not voice.  Numbly, she unravels Sano's existing bandage, now dripping blood into her lap, the sticky, soggy substance soaking down to her skin.  Shifting slightly from the unpleasant feeling, she wraps a fresh, clean bandage around his hand, making a mental note to clean his wounds as soon as she finds more time and resources.  For now, the simple bandage change will have to do.  Tying a final knot, she sighs heavily, letting her mind wander back to a certain tanuki girl's questionable safety.

In a scene this tranquil, danger is at best lurking just beyond the bend in the forest like the calm before a storm.  Reluctantly, Sano accepts this growing feeling of underlying unrest in the forest, lifting his eyes from Megumi's hands.  All the contentment and tranquility in the world will not bring peace to this situation.  Not here.  Not now.  It's more likely to bring less desirable consequences.  "Fox?"  Sano has a reflective frown on his upturned face, his newly bandaged appendage cradled in his good hand, fingertips absently rubbing the smooth white linen.

Megumi looks distantly uneasy, an emotion Sano would rather alleviate than see deepen on her otherwise empty expression.  At the sound of his voice, she blinks, releasing his hand in languid afterthought.  Unshed tears glisten in her cinnamon eyes, yet still hesitate to vacate the safety of her eyes.  As her profession lends her no means to protect herself, it comes as no surprise to note Megumi is unaware of the dangerous ki projecting its presumptuous assault from the forest.  Her voice tenders her naïve lament, though to her merit, it speaks of an equal, if slightly less immediately threatening, concern.  "Kaoru … I hope she's ok."

Sano grunts, nodding.  There _is _that.  Once inside, the well separated Kaoru from them and she disappeared without a trace.  If only they had some reassurance, some way of knowing she is all right, then at least the uneasiness would fade.  In that situation, the pair could devote their full attention to the mystery surrounding this new world upon which they've been deposited.

It's no secret that they both feel an underlying curiosity.  Like one opening a gift, they've been given something … now they have to find out what, exactly, that is.

Although who's to say that Kaoru wasn't deposited here as well?  …Wherever here is.  Since they couldn't see her inside the well, maybe the well positioned her somewhere nearby and they just can't see her for whatever reason.  Perhaps if they look….  "Kaoru!" Sano bellows, suddenly shooting to his feet determinedly.  _If Kaoru's here somewhere, I **will** find her!_

Megumi watches detachedly as Sano stands abruptly, apparently having decided to search the area.  …For Kaoru?  Realization dawns on her and she stands to join Sano, turning her back towards his.  With her new vantage point, he'll be close enough for her to be his shadow.  A resourceful shadow.  "Kaoru!  Where are you!  Please answer us!"  _If she's here with us, she'll hear us calling and answer, and we'll find her.  Oh, Kaoru, wherever you are, I hope you're safe!_

"Fox," Sano begins, glancing over his shoulder towards her to gauge her reaction thus far, "We need to start lookin' for Jou-chan.  You with me?"  He's counting on her support.  When it's been important, he's always been able to do so in the past.  His eyes darken in earnest anticipation, stray wet hair falling forward to deepen the shadows.

_Sano…._  Megumi pauses for a breath, blinking languidly, then turns towards him, having survived the sudden affections.  "Where did you want to look first?"  Business.  First, at least.  She averts her eyes out of dire necessity, lest she abort all hope of resistance

Having lost the momentary contact bearing his comfort and solace, Sano's face lifts skyward for a grand-scope sweep of their as yet foreign surroundings.  "Here's as good a place to start as any.  We should get away from that well.  If Jou-chan was there we'd have found her already, and we know something dangerous is around.  I don't want to stick around to find out what or when it's coming back."  He points toward the lush green carpet leading away from the well, parting the woods in a nonintrusive, gently winding trail.  "Let's go that way.  It's safer than the woods and a whole lot easier to walk through.  It's gotta lead somewhere.  Maybe it'll lead to Kaoru."  And civilization.  Nature's nice, but it doesn't lend itself well to answers.

Though she'd never have expected it to come from Sano, the proposal is promising.  There is a brain in that spiky rooster head of his after all.  Megumi nods, smiling briefly, and lightly touches his arm, just above the elbow.  "Let's go."

The verdant path leads away from the small clearing for a hundred yards or so before abruptly turning, swallowed by the densely packed trees of the forest.  The duo head around the bend, calling for their lost friend.  Sano keeps an eye out for potential dangers, ready to protect his Fox from anything at any moment.  And speak of the devil…Sano stiffens, his arm shooting out to quiet Megumi.

"Stop.  Look."  He points ahead to a large tree.  Its stature and twisted, gnarled branches lend the idea that it is perhaps thousands of years old.  "In the branches.  Something moved."  She ardently looks for a reason to disagree but finds herself unable; he's right.  The movement is so small she might not have seen it on her own, merely the whisper of motion in a few leaves.  "K-Kaoru?"  Her voice trembles and she steps behind Sano, eyes trained on the branches surrounding the minute movement.

Sano breaks free of frozen shock and moves, stepping in front of Megumi to protect her.  His brows lower in a menacing expression, jaw setting.  He'll take it on … whatever it may be.  He's always up for a challenge.  "No.  Something else."

A low snarl confirms his proclamation.

… Δ …

Inuyasha snarls anew as the two humans approach Goshinboku.  _The tall one reeks of blood.  But it's not Kagome's.  Neither of them have Kagome's scent.  …Kagome's probably safe.  It's not the only threat, though … what do these humans want with Goshinboku?_  He cuts his musings short when Sano and Megumi step into earshot, ears whipping about wildly before flattening against his head.  Eyes keen, he's on high alert.

… Δ …

"Stay back.  Whatever it is, it's not Kaoru, and I don't think it's friendly."  Sano's voice is low, replete with urgency.  He doesn't look back, only trains his eyes on the massive tree looming just ahead.  Megumi obediently lags behind Sano, the gap between them increasing until she stops entirely, watching warily as he reaches the roots of the massive tree.  There are times when even a Fox and a Rooster won't fight, no matter what the provocation betwixt.

Sano's eyes narrow as he steps onto entwined roots at the base of the tree, looking up into its twisted, gnarled branches for the source of the disturbance.  He doesn't realize he's holding his breath until suddenly a generous wealth of green leaves showers down upon him, accompanied by a vocal, threatening growl.  Post haste, he withdraws his hand from the bark's surface, searching feverishly for the menace.

"You've got sixty seconds to get away from this tree and outta my sight.  Starting now."

Surprised, Sano jumps back into a defensive stance, blood leeching through crisp bandages as he clenches his fists.  His excitement over the prospect of a fight shines in his amused brown eyes, a cocky smirk threatening hostile takeover of his mouth.  The voice, menacing though it is, is almost comical in its haste and offense.  It's also been too long since the ex-gangster had a really good fight with a worthy opponent.  "Oh?  What's a tree gonna do about it?"

The branches above shake in reprieve as the bodiless voice answers the taunt as expected, raining fresh leaves to blanket Goshinboku's massive exposed roots.  Upon those roots lands the oddest pair of clawed feet Megumi's ever seen.  She gasps, drawing the momentary attention of an odd, white-haired, dog-eared boy with eyes as cold an as menacing as Kenshin gone Battousai, with a guttural growl to match.  Fur-covered white ears shift extemporaneously as the boy returns his attention to Sano, sizing him up as an opponent.  Hand hovering over the hilt of what appears to be a well-worn, well-loved sword, Inuyasha spits out his words over a low growl.

"The tree's not gonna do a damn thing.  But if you don't tell me who you are and why you're snooping around this tree _now_...."  He snorts derisively, glancing over at Megumi sheerly for emphasis, "I just might tear the answers out of your woman over there.  She looks like she'd make a good scratching post."  It's uncharacteristic of the hanyou, but he has no intention of going through with his threat, no matter how promising his voice sounds.  He just wants answers, and feeling threatened by their unconcerned approach towards the sacred tree, his tongue characteristically gets the best of him in rather unflattering fashion.  If he'd attack someone, he'd attack the man and leave the woman – she seems innocent enough, and he might be able to reason with her, so long as her mate doesn't get in the way.

Highly unlikely.  Sano sneers.  _Looks like I'm gonna get that fight…._  "You'd have to kill me first."

Inuyasha leers, drawing Tetsusaiga, not so sure anymore if it really is just an act.  "I don't need an invite."

Megumi gasps, eyeing the unbelievable width of the menacing sword, the fur nearly covering the half demon's hand at the guard.  In its sheath, it didn't look nearly as big … or alive.  In fact, the width of the blade doesn't look as if it will fit back into the sheath … which isn't a good sign.  The sword itself has a will of its own, further demonstrated by the slow, even spiritual pulse that even the doctor can feel radiating from it.  Injured and unarmed as he is, Sano doesn't stand a chance against an enchanted sword.  Megumi takes a step towards the two, her eyes wide, pleading silently with both to call a cease-fire.  "Sanosuke!"

Sano turns; he half expected her to object to his actions, but he's not about to let anything happen to her, no matter what the cost paid by his own body.  _Damnit, Fox, don't'cha know when to keep your mouth shut?  Now's **not** the time!_  Any distractions will slow him up now and can easily mean the difference between escaping alive or otherwise.  Never mind that Sano has turned his back to his opponent, leaving him more or less defenseless to the hanyou's first attack, should the latter decide to take advantage of the opportunity.

The woman draws Inuyasha's attention away in haste by continuing her tirade.  She doesn't dare leave Sano open to a blind attack.  "You can't fight now!  You're badly injured!  Let's just go back to the well and leave like he said.  If we leave the tree alone, he'll leave us alone."

No such luck.

_Back to the well?  _Inuyasha's instantly rapt.  "What well?"  His golden eyes narrow, suspicions of a possible connection to Kagome instantly renewed.

Uneasy when confronted with the hanyou's demanding nature, Megumi retreats, praying that the gesture will placate the boy.  "Sanosuke, please."  Her voice trembles, parlaying a rather desperate plea.  _If the welcoming committee is this unfriendly, I don't want to wait to meet anyone else!  We have to leave.  I don't care where we end up...it has to be better than here!_

Sensing the doctor's distress, Sano snorts, reluctantly relinquishing the confrontation.  _Whoever you are, you're not worth my woman's tears.  _Grabbing Megumi's arm, he steps back, turns, then runs back towards the well, as she wished.  _I just hope you aren't as fast as you look…._  Megumi stumbles at first, then adjusts her steps to match his pace, lengthening her rapid strides.

Inuyasha growls as they retreat, solidly rethinking his earlier conviction that these two had nothing to do with Kagome.  They mentioned the well; they reek of blood; but most of all, underneath that scent they are unrecognizable in a way he'd previously ascribed to Kagome alone.  And, irritatingly, they run from unpleasant confrontations … just like she does.  His mind continues to wander nigh aimlessly over possibilities newly unlocked.  Could they have traveled from Kagome's time?  What if they know her?  What if she sent them to find him?  Maybe she's in trouble.  Reluctance overtaken by nagging desperation, Inuyasha takes chase.  He needs to know.  Now.  "Wait!"_  Damn it, will **someone** give me some answers around here?  What the hell's going on?_

A small, strangled noise escapes Megumi's throat as she looks back, eyes widening.  "Sanosuke…he's following us!  And he's catching up, fast!"  Her hand involuntarily clenches in terror, white knuckles bearing down on Sano's solid, smooth arm with bruising force.  He looks down at her hand, then over his shoulder.  _Yappari,_ he grimaces.  The hanyou's fast on his feet, bearing down on them with inhuman agility.  Megumi's voice, long since tuned out, fades from even her ears as she watches Inuyasha move over the land, mesmerized by his lithe movements.

So lost in contemplating how his motion and speed could physiologically be possible, she doesn't see the large rock protruding directly in her path.  Her toe hits the obstruction, her ankle twisting with an obscure crack as she lurches forward, slamming hard into the ground.  Sano can barely keep his footing as her death grip tugs on his arm, pulling him down as she falls.  Trying valiantly not to fall on top of her and compound any injuries she might receive, Sano falls to his knees to brace her, frowning severely.

"Fox … you all right?"

Megumi lifts her face towards his for a moment, cheeks flushed, obviously suppressing the pain and anguish from her fall.  Her ankle is deep red, swelling with blood.  Following his gaze, one of her hands hastily moves to cover the blossoming injury from sight.  _We don't have time now … **why** couldn't I have paid attention?  We might be caught now…._  She bites her lip, berating herself silently, blinking to fend off hot tears of frustration.

"I'm fine.  But we need to keep moving.  That boy's right behind us!"

Sano approximates the remaining distance between them and the half-demon, his frown deepening in sheer concentration.  Within moments, Inuyasha will be right on top of them.  He doesn't want to know what the hanyou is planning to do should he catch them, and though the alternative, under lesser circumstances, would be ill-advised, that alternative is now his only remaining option.  As Inuyasha gains on them, Sano realizes they won't make it to the well with Megumi's injury.  He seriously doubts she can stand; running is definitely out of the question.

"Sorry, Fox.  That ankle won't get you there."  He leans down and scoops Megumi into his arms, mere feet ahead of Inuyasha now.  Sano's apology is abrupt, but it sufficiently conveys the underlying message to the doctor, now gingerly tending to her own wound as best she can in midair.  She leans in close to Sano as he resumes the chase towards the well, shifting her weight in an effort to make the trek easier on him.

"Wait!" Inuyasha blurts out in an attempt to stall them.  _Just a little longer.  _He's almost caught up.  "Damn it, stop running and _answer me_!"  Ok, so maybe that isn't the best way to stall them, but he's frustrated as all hell, and it's all their fault!  Don't they know that?  He's never been glib under pressure; now's no exception.  He grinds his teeth in exasperation, glaring as they effectively retreat.

Megumi's had enough of his arrogance.  Tensing in Sano's arms at the sound of the boy's impetuous orders, she shifts to glare over his shoulder at their canine pursuer.  "Just who do you think you are?  We left the damn tree like you asked … you should honor your half of the agreement!"

Surprised by her reaction, Inuyasha stops, balking.  "W-what the...?"

Sano smirks, his shoulders shaking slightly with the effort of repressed laughter.  "Damn, Fox.  Didn't know you had it in ya."  But inwardly, he grins.  That's a lie.  Megumi's full of fiery spirit, and he loves that.  It makes his life that much more interesting...even if he has to argue with her to see it.  Some sacrifices are worth the price paid.

"Shut up, you stupid Rooster.  Just get us out of here!"

As if obliging her request, Sano carefully tightens his hold on her and jumps, easily clearing the lip of the well.  Megumi gives a startled shout as they fall into the well, instantly submerged into total darkness.  Turned towards the dog demon, she hadn't seen the well, unaware of its approach.  As before, the world they'd just left fades into nonexistence.  To their relief, so too passes the danger the hanyou posed to the couple's safety.  The familiar icy water rushes in, a rather soothing, if chilly, feeling.  Megumi clings close to Sano's chest, her ankle forgotten for the moment as the water eases its pain.

"Fox."  Megumi turns her face up towards his, leaning away from his chest to do so.  He's frowning, nodding towards her ankle.  "How's it feel?  You gonna be able to walk?"

Megumi hesitantly moves her toes, wincing as the sore joint above the digits protests the motion.  Quietly, she admits to herself that she can't handle it on her own; she's going to need help.  "No…it's too painful.  I think it might be broken."  Closing her eyes, she sighs, leaning her head on his bare, silky smooth chest.  "Gomen nasai, Sano.  I should have been looking."  She swallows, delaying her tears of frustration and self-pity.

Sano shakes his head, preparing a response.  The well steals any chance of answering away, though, as it returns the ground to his feet, giving him just enough warning for him to land in a crouch and cushion Megumi's ankle from the fall.  The water vanishes, seeping into minor crevices in the box-shaped structure of the well, replaced with darkness deeper than the wet void of the well's transport.

Sano looks up, noting that the well is as dry now as it had been where they last landed, but instead of piles of eerie bones hidden in the shadows, a helpful wooden ladder extends upwards indefinitely.  The mouth of the well is darker than the floor, possibly covered, making it impossible for him to see what lies beyond.  The air is tranquil, stagnant, as if abandoned even by the wilderness itself.  Eerie silence endeavors to suffocate them, leading Sano to break it in speech and movement.

"Wonder where we are now.  Hang on, Fox.  I'm climbing out."  As before, Megumi clings to Sano's chest; he climbs upwards effortlessly with his good hand, meeting an obstructive barrier.  The top is covered with some sort of wooden shield, as expected, but it lifts off easily enough to a slightly lighter room housing the well.

It's not Kaoru's well, nor is the building surrounding it the open courtyard of the dojo.  It seems to be a shrine, its musty smell giving a well-aged feel.  The fact that it's still standing shows that it's been well tended for the duration of its long life.  Sano's willing to bet that the building's caretakers are not far away.  The couple resolves to wait inside for a moment to see if help is forthcoming.

Sunlight floods the room as a door cracks open on sliding hinges, blinding them both momentarily.  Sano blinks, sneezing, and Megumi slips behind him, shielding her eyes.  The door opens fully to reveal a nosy old man.

"Kagome?  I thought you weren't leaving until after dinner."  The old man steps inside, surprisingly sprightly for someone his age.  The occupants are too shocked to reply.  In the silence, the old man tries again.  "Kagome?  Is that you?"  He pauses, then, both waiting for an answer and coming to his own conclusions.  _No, Kagome's at school._  "Who's there?"  Suddenly, he's apprehensive, rummaging in his pockets for talismans to protect him.

Megumi blinks, feeling somewhat sorry for the man and his state.  "Who's Kagome, sir?"

Her question draws his attention.  For a moment, he ponders this new beauty before him.  Interest rekindled, he works verbally through his bewilderment.  "You're not Kagome.  Are you from Inuyasha's time?"

The pair blink, confused.  Inuyasha's _time_?  What exactly happened in that well?  Sano steps forward, fully eclipsing Megumi behind him out of duty and protection.  "Inu…yasha?  Never heard of it.  We just came out of that well there…."

"Ah, you're from the past!"  Excitement glitters in the old man's eyes as he claps his hands together, every hair on his wrinkled head standing on end, apparently figuring out the answer to his own question.  "Welcome to Tokyo!"  He takes a good look at the pair, words spilling forth as if of no mortal consequence.  "My, my, you're soaking wet!  Come, let's get you inside for a hot bath and some dry clothes.  Kagome should be home soon, and then we can sort this all out."

"Arigato," Megumi replies with a somewhat dazed bow of her head.  It's a plan, albeit a rudimentary one.  Right now anything's worth a shot.  Once miles from Tokyo, they're now back within the city; hopefully, this man can help them return home.  The old man seems harmless, and because they are soaking wet, they risk illness if they don't dry off soon.  "At least we're back in Tokyo," she murmurs, letting Sano continue to carry her in what she's realizing are capable, gentle arms as he follows their new benefactor.  The sooner their issues are addressed, the better.

But at the very least, they're home!

Maybe.

… Δ …

"Tadaima!"  Kagome announces cheerily, hastily slipping out of her shoes as she spills indoors.  "Mama, 'Jii-chan, Sou—"  She freezes in the doorway to the kitchen, skidding to a complete stop, her muscles freezing in shock.  Three faces peer up at her.  That's normal.  They're not the faces she'd expected, however.  Two of these faces are new to her, and her grandfather's expression is alarmingly expecting.  Instantly on edge, she inches towards the hall, wishing for escape.  No good can come of this … none at all.

"Ahh, welcome home, Kagome!  How was your day at school?"  The beaming old man sets a steaming pot of tea on the kitchen table.  A beautiful young woman reaches for it and proceeds to pour tea with practiced perfection into three cups.  She's every inch the classical image of Japanese beauty.  Not only is Kagome nervous, now she's self-conscious as well.  Is that something a certain derelictitious hanyou would expect of her?  She sighs, leaning against the door frame.  Perhaps she should stay after all.

Kagome takes her usual seat in a daze, giving a customary teenage response.  "Fine."  She's absorbed in watching the woman before her, intently studying her motions and mannerisms.  Something's out of place with both her and her male counterpart, and she has every intention of finding out just what that is.  Turning to study the woman's companion, she's startled to meet his steady, scrutinizing gaze.  Blushing, she averts her eyes from the couple altogether.

Her grandfather places a cup of tea in front of her, the simple attention serving to intensify her blush, and proceeds to sit next to her.  "That's nice."  His air is more casual than the event dictates, his response as empty as her own.  Neither is interested in the overtly casual exchange, merely following an outdated tradition of their own.

Megumi glances at the girl.  _She's younger than Kaoru, but she's older than Yahiko.  She sure acts more mature!  Her clothes are so strange!  So…revealing._  Briefly, she glances disgustedly over at Sano to make sure he's not leering.  He's busy staring at the odd contraptions in the room now, and that's enough to satisfy and ease her mind for the moment.  More intriguing is this young woman before her.  _How can her family allow her to dress so scantily?_  Plastering a smile rather contrary to her worries on her delicate features, she maneuvers the teapot towards Kagome's cup.  Tradition and poise might just get her through this odd adventure.  "Would you like some tea, miss?"

"Uhh…sure.  Thank you.  But please, call me Kagome."  She fidgets, unsound, as Megumi fills her cup.  Seeing this, her grandfather offers forth an explanation meant to alleviate the discomfort of entertaining strangers in their home.

"Kagome, I heard something in the shrine near the well.  When I went to look, I found these two climbing out.  I'm pleased to introduce to you Sagara Sanosuke-san and Takani Megumi-san."  He smiles blandly, figuring it's enough.  Surely she'll recognize them now.

_Hmm.  Out of the well, ne?_  "Are you from Sengoku Jidai, then?"  Her reply is somewhat disappointing to her grandfather and alarming to their guests, but it's all she can grasp for the moment.

Sano and Megumi lift their heads abruptly, exhibiting mutually quizzical expressions.  Finding her voice first, Megumi underscores the blatantly obvious shock with its reason.  "Kagome-san, that…that was ages ago."  Quite literally

_If you're not from feudal Japan, then I bet you don't know Inuyasha.  Let me count my blessings.  But you're definitely **not** from the present …not with that dialect.  So, then , where **did** you come from?_  Kagome blinks, puzzling over the incomplete pieces of clues before her.  It just doesn't fit yet.  Not ready to give up so early on, she asks another question.  "Where are you from, then?"

"We're from Tokyo, although I've never seen this part of town before.  How far away from the Kamiya dojo are we?"  Brilliant deduction; Sano figures that mentioning the landmark is their ticket home.  The thought of time travel is far from their minds; for all they know, they're only minutes from home, and this strange journey will finally be over.  After all, the old man _had_ said they were in Tokyo, hadn't he?

Wishful thinking, if partially true.

_Kamiya?  _Kagome blinks, not recognizing the name.  "I've never heard of it."  Watching the confused horror glaze over her guests' faces, she fidgets.  _That _is one look she hopes to _never _see again.  An idea seizes her; to some it may be far-fetched, but in her life, strange and unusual events are an everyday occurrence.  "Please excuse my next question.  It's kinda strange.  Bear with me.  What _year_ is it?"

"Meiji 13, why?"  Megumi indeed thought it was an odd question, but she, too, is starting to get suspicious of the circumstances.  Sengoku Jidai, that fire-spewing machine Jii-san had called a "stove," the "fridge," and even Kagome's clothes…it's all a little too eerie to be entirely random.  Something's _weird_.  Something's wrong.  And though Megumi hasn't placed all of it just yet, she thinks Kagome is the key to figuring this entire mess out.  She looks at the young girl expectantly, bracing herself for some strange answers.

"Meiji," Kagome breathes in awe.  _Early in the period … before the turn of the century!  _"That was over a hundred years ago!  You _are_ from the past…just not as far back as Inuyasha."

"Whoa, hang on, Jou-chan…what year is it now?"  It's a little too much for the ex-fighter-for-hire to grasp.  Kagome can't blame him.

"2003...Heisei 15," Kagome answers, watching their unbounded disbelief multiply.

_Heisei?  Such an age doesn't exist by Meiji standards._  It's real enough to snap the final piece into place.  "Sanosuke…that well…we traveled through _time_!"  Solemn, yet somewhat excited by the possibilities, Megumi turns to her companion.  The revelation has opened an infinite set of possibilities, each with a barrage of new questions, and though her mind wishes to wander to the safety of a certain rurouni and his tanuki, golden eyes won't permit it.  "I wonder where we were first, before the well brought us here?"

"The one with that insane freak and his beloved tree?"  Sano questions dryly.  A smirk tugs at his lips, yet contrarily, his uninjured fist tightens, shuddering.  _I coulda used that fight, Fox...._  His muscles coil at random, tensing with the rampant adrenaline of unuse.  The slightly wild look in his eyes accompanying the physical manifestations does not go unnoticed; carefully hiding the motion from view, Megumi sweatdrops.  Oops.

_Insane freak?  Tree?  Oh **no**, they **did** meet Inuyasha!_  Kagome moans, her forehead pitching forward to rest in her hand.  _Inuyasha no BAKA!  What did you do this time?  _Completing an unbecoming string of mental curses, she looks up wearily to the two.  _Time for damage control.  _"He didn't hurt you, I hope."  _I **really** hope!_

Sano snorts.  He'd pound his fists together, and in fact he automatically lifts his hands to do so, but Megumi swiftly places her hand over his bandaged one to remind him that he's injured.  _You won't be doing **that **for a while, Sanosuke!  _After a brief frown, Sano offers Kagome a cocky, self-assured smile.  "Nah, Jou-chan.  A puppy like him is no match for Sagara Sanosuke!"  He chuckles, reveling in his little pun.  The boy _did_ have a dog's ears, after all.  It's strange, though they'd seen much stranger in their own time.

Megumi rolls her eyes in response to this overtly macho display.  "Sano, if I hadn't been there, he'd have killed you!"  _Keep your feet on the ground, you stupid Rooster!_

Insulted!  That's a challenge.  Sano's eyes narrow; lifting his chest, he leans in closer to speak in mocking tones.  A brief respite from his normal shouting tirades.  The vast contrast is enough to chill Megumi to the bone.  "And if you'd been looking where you were running, you wouldn't have hurt your ankle!"

Oh, now it's on.  Megumi blushes with the effort to keep calm, her eyes narrowing treacherously with the effective insult.  Rendered speechless.  Lacking a proper response, she goes with the first thing that comes to mind.  Quite typical.  "Would you just _shut up_ about it, you stupid Rooster?  At least I stayed _off _it!  _You_ keep reinjuring your hand because you don't even have that much sense!"  ...She redirects the argument to his shortcomings.

_God, I hope Inuyasha didn't….  _Luckily for them all, Kagome picks up on the injuries through their tirades.  Paling slightly, she hastily interjects.  "You're injured?  Both of you?"  She looks over at her grandfather to scold him.  "Jii-chan, shame on you!  You didn't tend to their injuries?"  Turning to the warring couple, now paused to listen, she offers an apologetic smile, hoping to smooth things over, even if it is at the cost of her grandfather's pride.  The faster she can draw them away from their noisy confrontation, the better they all will fare.  "Please forgive my grandfather.  He can be scatterbrained sometimes."

"Hey!  I resent that, Kagome!"  The old man sits up rigidly with a huff, suddenly reanimated.  "I couldn't tell they were injured.  Sanosuke-kun was busy carrying Megumi-san.  I couldn't see his hand or her ankle, so how was I to know anything was wrong?"  He sits back again, stars dotting his aging eyes with revelry.  "It was such a chivalrous move, carrying his woman.  So romantic…."

"JII-CHAN!"  All three interject, equally exasperated.  How _could _he?

He chuckles, undaunted, but before he can respond, the shoji slams open with urgency and force without equal.  In leans a disheveled, anxious Inuyasha, gasping for breath, ears wildly twitching.  Agape, he searches the room frantically.

"Kagome!  Where's – Kagome, daijoubu?"  He gives her a fairly thorough once-over, hastily sniffing the air for traces of any malintent that might've befallen her.  His nose twitches, and he nearly retches with an overpowering, malicious scent.  Hastily, he covers his nose with the back of his hand, digits flexing involuntarily.  _Blood.  That same smell._  He growls, breaking his gaze from Kagome to search for the source – which doesn't take long.  "It's YOU!"

That was all the confirmation Kagome needed to know he'd given her guests a rather rude welcome back in the past.  She stands abruptly, tremulous with tumultuous anger, her chair falling to the floor behind her, utterly forgotten.  Hands balled into fists, she metes out due punishment.  "INUYASHA!  **SIT!!!**"

A fleeting whisper of sound scales the walls, the noise well-associated with magic; the beads around the offended boy's neck glow for a fraction of a second, lighting Inuyasha's face as it changes from disbelief to outrage.  "TEME!" He roars as he's faceplanted into the kitchen floor, sending tile fragments flying.  Satisfied, Kagome smiles, crossing her arms over her chest smugly.  Well worth the damages.

"Oh, my!"  Megumi lifts a hand to her mouth, shocked, but she can't help rooting for Kagome.  A magical spell like _that_ would make her stupid Rooster behave decently.  Unaware of the deconstructive thought save for the tingle in his nose, Sano guffaws loudly, standing mockingly over the hanyou.  He's thoroughly enjoying Inuyasha's misfortune, and the fact that the hanyou swats at him blindly with rich curses, only makes the humor more enjoyable for them all.

Regaining her composure, Kagome slaps an innocent smile on her face.  Or tries to, anyways.  Swallowing her remaining giggles, she turns to Megumi, offering a warm, welcoming smile.  "Megumi-san, perhaps we should take a look at your ankle and clean up Sanosuke-san's injury."  As Megumi offers concurrence, Kagome turns to Sano.  "Sanosuke-san, perhaps you could carry her again?"

Sano nods, still chortling, and picks Megumi up, ever mindful of their fresh injuries.  Kagome leads them down the hall toward her room, stopping in the bathroom to pick up first aid supplies.  "Medicine has become quite amazing, even when compared to some of the major advances during the Meiji era."

Megumi's silent, thrown bodily back into the past, revisiting bitter memories of the opium ring.

"Oh really?  Megumi is a doctor."  He looks down, pausing to scrutinize her expression.  _Damn, Fox...I thought by now you would have put that in the past and forgiven yourself.  It's still painful, though, isn't it?_  His brown eyes soften, offering brief comfort before he returns his attention to their hostess, leaving her to her silent coping devices.

"Oh wow…a female doctor in the Meiji era…that must not have been easy, Megumi-san...."

Inuyasha's ears twitch, the paralysis induced by Kagome's spell lingering irritably, making it difficult for him to hear the three as they disappear into Kagome's bedroom.  "Feh…what's she doing inviting that man into her bedroom?  It'll be her own damn fault if he does something to her."  _But if he does, I'll tear him to ribbons._

The old man, still sitting calmly at the kitchen table, smiles sagely, enjoying his afternoon tea.  "Inuyasha, times have changed since the era in which you live.  She's in no danger."

"Feh.  Who says I was worried?"  He turns his head in an effort to maintain his masculine pride, grateful as sensation returns to his upper body.  Sitting up, he consciously avoids the old man's eyes.

The old man just shakes his head and smiles.  "You still have a lot to learn, Inuyasha.  You're lucky to have a girl like Kagome around to teach you."

Briefly, the hanyou's shocked, as all of the hanyou's emotions, this one doesn't last long.

"KEH!"


End file.
